Is the H in Silhouette Silent?

The term ‘silhouette’ is a French word that means “outline.” It’s commonly used to refer to an artistic representation of a person or object, and it’s often used in photography. But one question that has puzzled many people is whether the H in Silhouette is silent.

The answer to this question is yes, the H is usually silent when you pronounce the word Silhouette. The French pronunciation of the word is “seel-oo-et,” with no trace of the H sound at all. This makes sense, since the H does not appear in any of the French spelling for this term.

But there are some exceptions to this rule. In some dialects of English, people may pronounce the H sound when saying Silhouette.

This usually happens when they are unfamiliar with the French pronunciation or are trying to emphasize a particular syllable in the word. But even then, the H sound will be quite faint and barely audible.

It’s also worth noting that while people often refer to Silhouettes as ‘shadows,’ they are not actually shadows in the literal sense. A shadow implies something dark and foreboding, while a Silhouette can represent a person or object in any type of pose or angle.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, it can be said that while some English speakers may choose to pronounce an audible ‘H’ when saying Silhouette, it is not necessary and most people will omit it entirely. The correct French pronunciation for this term does not include any trace of an ‘H’ sound whatsoever. Therefore, it can be concluded that yes – the ‘H’ in Silhouette is usually silent.