uh-DEN-uh-seen
/əˈdɛnəˌsin/
Adenosine is pronounced uh-DEN-uh-seen (/əˈdɛnəˌsin/). Adenosine is a nucleoside formed when adenine bonds to ribose. It functions in cellular energy transfer and signaling, acting as a building block of RNA and as a precursor to adenosine triphosphate. In medical contexts it’s also used as a drug to treat certain heart rhythm disorders.
nounAdenosine is a nucleoside formed when adenine bonds to ribose. It functions in cellular energy transfer and signaling, acting as a building block of RNA and as a precursor to adenosine triphosphate. In medical contexts it’s also used as a drug to treat certain heart rhythm disorders.
"Adenosine is a key component in ATP, the molecule that stores cellular energy."
"Researchers studied adenosine receptors to understand how the brain modulates sleep and arousal."
"In pharmacology, adenosine is administered intravenously to treat supraventricular tachycardia."
Say uh-DEN-uh-seen with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US: əˈdɛnəˌsiːn; UK: əˈdenəˌsiːn; AU: əˈdenəˌsiːn. The middle syllable contains a clear /e/ as in 'bet', and the ending is a long /iːn/. Use a light initial schwa, then a strong rhotic-free syllable, finishing with a prolonged 'seen'.
Common errors include stressing the first syllable (a-DEN-o-sine instead of a-DEN-o-seen) and shortening the final vowel to /ɪ/ or /ən/ rather than /siːn/. Another mistake is pronouncing the ending as /ən/ or /ən/ after a tense middle, which makes it sound like a different word. Practice with IPA: əˈdɛnəˌsiːn; keep the final vowel long /iː/ and the /siːn/ crisp.
US tends toward əˈdɛnəˌsiːn with a rhoticity not affecting the word pronunciation much; UK typically keeps a slightly clipped ending with /siːn/ and may reduce the /ə/ to a schwa more lightly, giving əˈdenəˌsiːn. Australian often mirrors UK but with even more relaxed vowel quality and a slightly broader /æ/ in the first vowel, depending on speaker. Core is second-syllable stress; final /siːn/ remains long.
Two main challenges are the multi-syllabic length and the final long /iːn/. The sequence /dɛn/ can blur with adjacent vowels, and the /siːn/ may blend with nasal /n/ if spoken quickly. A steady, prominent /siːn/ helps clarity. Practice by segmenting: ə-ˈdɛn-ə-ˌsiːn, then smoothing transitions between /n/ and /siːn/.
The word carries a secondary nuance: the middle syllable receives clear emphasis in many scientific contexts (a-DEN-ə-seen). Some speakers also accent the second syllable lightly, creating a tri-syllabic rhythm that helps distinguish it from similar terms like deoxyadenosine. Keep the primary stress on the second syllable and ensure the final /siːn/ is long and resolved.
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Adenosine derives from the combination of the nucleobase adenine (from Latin adeninum, ultimately from Greek adénos, gland) and the sugar ribose. The term nucleoside reflects the structural concept of a base bonded to a sugar without the phosphate group; adenosine is the adenine-ribose combination. The words adenosine and adenine share the same root, with -os- representing the linking vowel in Greek-based scientific terms and -osine as a suffix used for nucleosides. First used in the late 19th to early 20th century as biochemistry advanced, scientists named adenosine to distinguish the ribonucleoside of adenine from its deoxyribonucleoside (deoxyadenosine) and to indicate its role in RNA and energy metabolism. Over time, the term expanded to contexts of pharmacology and physiology, where adenosine restates identity as a signaling molecule and energy intermediate in cells. The word’s etymology reflects its Greek roots (adenós, gland) via the Latinized scientific lexicon, with the -osine suffix aligning with other nucleosides like cytidine and guanosine to indicate sugar-base conjugates.
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Words that rhyme with "Adenosine"
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