3 syllables: A, cid, ic. Stress on cid.
uh-SID-ik
/əˈsɪdɪk/
Acidic is pronounced uh-SID-ik (/əˈsɪdɪk/). It has three syllables (A-cid-ic), with the stress on "cid". Acidic is an adjective describing a sour-tasting condition or a corrosive property, often used in chemistry and biology to label substances with a pH below 7 or sour, biting flavors. In broader language, it can describe sharp, biting, or caustic tones or remarks. The term implies chemical or figurative sharpness, intensity, or acidity in nature or effect.
adjectiveAcidic is an adjective describing a sour-tasting condition or a corrosive property, often used in chemistry and biology to label substances with a pH below 7 or sour, biting flavors. In broader language, it can describe sharp, biting, or caustic tones or remarks. The term implies chemical or figurative sharpness, intensity, or acidity in nature or effect.
"The solution is acidic and must be handled with gloves."
"Her acidic critique left little room for praise."
"Acidic rain contributed to the corrosion of the metal."
Say it as /ˈæs.ɪ.dɪk/. Start with a stressed /æ/ in the first syllable, then a short /ɪ/ in the second, and finish with /dɪk/. The final syllable has a clear /k/ release. Tip: keep the mouth open for the /æ/ and relax the jaw for the relaxed /ɪ/. Audio reference: you can compare with standard pronunciations on pronunciation apps or dictionaries.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (saying /ˈeɪ.sɪ.dɪk/), pronouncing the middle /ɪ/ as /iː/ (like ‘e’, not short i), and softening the final /k/ to /t/ in rapid speech. Another frequent slip is reducing the first syllable to a lax /ə/ (uh-sid-ik). Correct by emphasizing the first syllable, shortening the middle vowel to /ɪ/, and making a crisp /k/ release.
In US, UK, and AU, the primary stress remains on the first syllable /ˈæs.ɪ.dɪk/. The vowel qualities shift slightly: US often has a slightly flatter /æ/ and a tenser /ɪ/; UK may have a marginally more rounded /ɪ/ in the middle; AU tends toward a vowel sound closer to /æ/ with a slightly broader, flatter final /ɪ/. Overall, the rhythm is similar, but vowel quality breathes differently with regional intonation.
The challenge lies in the short, crisp vowels in the middle syllable and the final /k/ release after a preceding /dɪ/. Keeping the /ɪ/ short, not reduced, and landing the final /k/ firmly takes precise tongue positioning. The sequence /æs.ɪ.dɪk/ requires controlled jaw openness and a clean stop consonant to avoid a trailing /t/ or a slurred end, which can occur in rapid speech.
Some speakers reduce the middle /ɪ/ in casual contexts, sounding closer to /ˈæs.əd.ɪk/ with a lighter /ɪ/ or a near-schwa. The key is to keep the middle vowel short and distinct from the first /æ/ and the final /k/. In careful speech, maintain /ɪ/ clearly as a reduced but not omitted vowel, ensuring the /d/ pairs with /ɪ/ while the final /k/ lands with a crisp release.
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Acidic comes from the noun acid, derived from the Latin acidus, meaning sour, sharp, or pungent, which itself originates from the Latin verb accidere, “to happen, occur” in a sense tied to sour taste through the concept of sourness in chemistry. The suffix -ic forms adjectives indicating characteristic of or pertaining to. The word entered English via scientific and medical vocabularies in the late Middle Ages as chemistry and alchemy advanced, evolving from terms like acidus into acid, acidic, and related derivatives. Its core sense shifted from literal sourness in taste and reaction to include metaphorical sharpness in tone or behavior in modern usage. First known uses appear in early modern scientific texts discussing acids and corrosive properties, solidifying its dual chemical and figurative implications by the 17th–19th centuries, with the adjective form becoming common in both laboratory contexts and everyday descriptors for sharp, biting qualities.
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Words that rhyme with "Acidic"
-tic sounds
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