4 syllables: Ac, cli, ma, tion. Stress on ma.
ak-luh-MAY-shuhn
/ˌækləˈmeɪʃən/
Acclimation is pronounced ak-luh-MAY-shuhn (/ˌækləˈmeɪʃən/). It has four syllables (Ac-cli-ma-tion), with the stress on "ma". Acclimation is the process of adapting to a new climate, environment, or set of conditions, resulting in physiological or behavioral adjustment. It implies gradual, experience-based change rather than a sudden adaptation, and is often used in biology, sports, and environmental science contexts.
nounAcclimation is the process of adapting to a new climate, environment, or set of conditions, resulting in physiological or behavioral adjustment. It implies gradual, experience-based change rather than a sudden adaptation, and is often used in biology, sports, and environmental science contexts.
- You tend to drop the schwa in the second syllable, saying ac-CLA-mi-tion; keep a light /ə/ in the second position. - You over-emphasize the /eɪ/ in the third syllable, turning it into 'mae' or 'may-tion'; aim for /meɪ.ʃən/ with the /eɪ/ as a true diphthong within the stressed syllable. - You misplace the primary stress on the wrong syllable or omit the secondary stress on the first syllable; rehearse the four-syllable rhythm with clear pitch drop after the stressed syllable. - Final /t/ or /ʃən/ sounds are rushed; keep the final /ʃən/ crisp and not overly aspirated.
How to Pronounce Acclimation
"The team's acclimation to humidity helped them perform better on game day."
"After moving to the Arctic, her acclimation took several weeks of consistent exposure to the cold."
"Researchers study the acclimation of plants to drought conditions over multiple growing seasons."
You say /ˌæk.ləˈmeɪ.ʃən/ in US/UK/AU. The primary stress is on the second-to-last syllable: ac-cla-MA-tion. Break it into four syllables: ac-cla-mi-tion, with the 'mi' part voiced crisply and the final 'tion' sounding like 'shən' in many accents. For clarity: /ˌæk.ləˈmeɪ.ʃən/. Listen for the /ˈmeɪ/ syllable as the peak.
Common errors: (1) stressing the wrong syllable, leading to ac-CLA-mi-tion instead of ac-cla-MA-tion; (2) mispronouncing the /ə/ schwa in the second syllable as a full vowel; (3) pronouncing the final /tion/ as /-tʃən/ or /-ʃn̩/ without the correct /ən/ ending. Correction tips: keep the primary stress on MA (second syllable from the end), use a light /ə/ in the second syllable, and end with /-ʃən/ (as in ‘shun’). Practice saying ac-CLA-mi-tion with a gentle, relaxed middle syllable and a clear /ʃən/ at the end.
US tends to pronounce as /ˌæk.ləˈmeɪ.ʃən/ with a rhotic, but the /ə/ vowels are centralized in rapid speech. UK often yields /ˌæk.lɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/, with a shorter second syllable and less vowel length. Australian tends to be /ˌæk.ləˈmeɪ.ʃən/ with a somewhat flatter vowel in the second syllable and a more clipped final syllable. The main differences are vowel quality in the second syllable and the exact vowel of the first unstressed /ə/; rhotics are less pronounced in non-US accents.
The word presents a cluster of phonetic features that are challenging: the initial /æ/ vowel in stressed syllable; the unstressed second syllable with a reduced /ə/; and the final /-eɪ.ʃən/ combination, where the /eɪ/ diphthong meets the alveolar fricative cluster /ʃən/. Also, avoiding the common trap of saying /ək-lə-MAY-ʃən/ by overemphasizing the /eɪ/; maintaining the correct stress pattern (secondary stress on the first syllable and primary on the third) helps. Practice with IPA guidance to lock the sequence.
There are no silent letters in acclimation. The word is fully phonetic for standard English: /ˌæk.ləˈmeɪ.ʃən/. The only subtle point is ensuring the middle vowel is a schwa (ə) rather than a full vowel, which can cause the word to feel heavier if over-articulated. Also, the final syllable contains an unstressed /ən/; keeping it light helps the word flow.
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- US: rhotic pronunciation; emphasize the /r/ after the initial syllable when present in some speakers’ coarticulation; maintain a clear /ˈmeɪ/ in the third syllable. - UK: slightly shorter first unstressed vowels; keep the /ɪ/ in the second syllable compact and the /ˈmeɪ/ as a relaxed diphthong; avoid adding an extra vowel sound in the final syllable. - AU: flatter vowels; keep final /ən/ relaxed; maintain the /ˌæk.ləˈmeɪ.ʃən/ flow with a bit less intonation spread.
Acclimation originates from Latin acclimatio, from ad- ‘toward’ + climare, ‘to incline, to slope,’ ultimately related to climare ‘to incline or incline toward,’ with the medieval and early modern Latin adaptation to describe adjustment to a new condition. The form acclimati- shows up in English by the 18th century, initially in scientific and military discourse, describing the gradual adjustment of humans and animals to environmental changes. Over time, the word broadened beyond physical environments to encompass acclimatization of behavior, systems, and technologies to new operating conditions. It is closely linked to acclimate and acclimatize, with the root idea of bending toward fit or suitability under new circumstances. First known uses often appear in natural science texts discussing organisms adjusting to climate, altitude, or humidity, and later in athletic and occupational contexts where new environments require physiological or procedural changes. In contemporary usage, acclimation may denote a temporary, reversible adjustment distinct from long-term adaptation at the genetic level, though both concepts describe improved compatibility with change. The noun form has become common in fields such as biology, medicine, sports science, and environmental studies, reflecting the universal relevance of adapting to new conditions.
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Words that rhyme with "Acclimation"
-on. sounds
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