6 syllables: A, ce, ta, mi, no, phen. Stress on mi.
uh-see-tuh-MIN-uh-fuhn
/əˌsitəˈmɪnəfən/
Acetaminophen is pronounced uh-see-tuh-MIN-uh-fuhn (/əˌsitəˈmɪnəfən/). It has six syllables (A-ce-ta-mi-no-phen), with the stress on "mi". Acetaminophen is a widely used analgesic and antipyretic medication, commonly known as paracetamol outside the U.S. It relieves mild to moderate pain and reduces fever. The term refers to the chemical compound N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, and in medicine it’s typically written as an active ingredient in many over‑the‑counter products.
nounAcetaminophen is a widely used analgesic and antipyretic medication, commonly known as paracetamol outside the U.S. It relieves mild to moderate pain and reduces fever. The term refers to the chemical compound N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, and in medicine it’s typically written as an active ingredient in many over‑the‑counter products.
"I took acetaminophen for the headache and it helped within an hour."
"Do not exceed the recommended dose of acetaminophen when you have a fever."
"Acetaminophen is often combined with other drugs in multi-symptom cold remedies."
Pronounce as /ˌæsɪˈtæmɪˌnoʊfɛn/ in US English. Start with a short /ˌæ/ then /sɪ/ before a primary stress on /ˈtæm/. The sequence continues /ɪ/ then a light /ˌnoʊ/ followed by /fɛn/. For clarity: a-SET-ə-MI-no-FE N. If you prefer APAP shorthand, that’s /ˌeɪ piː eɪ piˈeɪt/. Listening to a medical pronunciation resource will help you lock the rhythm.
Common errors: misplacing the primary stress, like saying /ˌæˈsɛtəˌmɪnoʊfɛn/; mispronouncing the /noʊ/ as /no/ or confusing the /tæm/ vs /tæmi/. Another frequent pitfall is elongating the middle syllables or clustering /noʊ/ with the final /fɛn/ too tightly. Correct approach: place primary stress on the /ˈtæm/ and maintain a light, unstressed /ɪ/ before /ˌnoʊ/. Keep /fɛn/ as a crisp final syllable.
In US English, it’s typically /ˌæsɪˈtæmɪˌnoʊfɛn/, with a rhotic /r/ absent and a clear /oʊ/ before the final /fɛn/. UK and many Commonwealth varieties reduce /noʊ/ to /nəʊ/ or /nə/. AU tends toward /ˌæsɪˈtæmɪˌnoʊfɛn/ as well but with slightly different vowel timbre; some speakers may show subtle rounding or a lighter /ɪ/ in the first unstressed syllables. Overall, the stress pattern remains the same, but vowel qualities vary slightly.
The difficulty comes from the long multisyllabic sequence with multiple unstressed and stressed segments: a-CE-ta-mi-no-phen in common US rendering. The jumbled vowel transitions /æ/ to /ɪ/ can be tricky, and the diphthong /noʊ/ demands careful lip rounding and jaw movement. Additionally, spelling-to-sound mapping isn’t obvious because the 'ti' sounds like /tæ/ rather than /ti/. Concentrate on the primary stress on /ˈtæm/ and smooth transitions between segments.
A distinctive feature is the secondary stress pattern: the word carries a primary stress on the /tæm/ and a secondary, lighter emphasis on the nearby /æ/ of the preceding syllable and the /noʊ/ onset, creating a subtle pacing rhythm. You’ll hear a small pause or linger before the /noʊ/ cluster in careful speech. This compound-like rhythm helps keep the sequence clear in fast medical dialogue.
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US: rhotic, clearer /r/ not present here; pay attention to /æ/ vs /eɪ/; UK/AU: /ɒ/ or /ɒ/ in some datasets? The key is stable /noʊ/ and a crisp final /fɛn/. Vowel colors differ slightly; US tends toward flat /æ/ and /ɪ/; UK may show a bit more rounded /ə/ in the unstressed schwa. IPA references: /ˌæsɪˈtæmɪˌnoʊfɛn/ (US), similar in UK with small vowel shifts; AU similar but with Australian vowel quality.
Acetaminophen derives from the chemical name N-acetyl-p-aminophenol. The base phenol structure is acetylated on the amine group (N-acetyl) and substituted with a para‑amino group (p‑aminophenol). The term first appeared in the early 20th century as chemists explored acetylation of p-aminophenol to produce less irritating analgesics. In the U.S., it became widely marketed under the brand name Tylenol in the 1950s, with research highlighting its antipyretic and analgesic properties. The abbreviation APAP is formed from the letters of acetyl‑p‑aminophenol, used extensively in formulations and on labels. Over time, acetaminophen became a standard nonprescription medication, valued for its efficacy across ages, though dosage warnings to avoid hepatotoxicity emerged from pharmacovigilance and clinical data. The word’s usage broadened from chemistry to pharmacy, and now it’s embedded in global pharmacology as a universal active ingredient in many combination products.
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Words that rhyme with "Acetaminophen"
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