linking r

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

linking r, [Phonet.]

the r- sound as reintroduced into an utterance where there is an r in the spelling by speakers of an r- dropping dialect when a postvocalic r they would normally drop, as in the pronunciation of far as (fä), becomes intervocalic, as in far away pronounced as (fär′ə wā′).  Also called intrusive r. the r- sound as inserted analogously by speakers of an r- dropping dialect between vowels where there is no corresponding r in the spelling, as in the pronunciation of Cuba is as (kyo̅o̅′bə riz). 
• 1945–50