4 syllables: An, ae, ro, bic. Stress on ro.
an-ur-OH-bik
/ˌænɚˈoʊbɪk/
Anaerobic is pronounced an-ur-OH-bik (/ˌænɚˈoʊbɪk/). It has four syllables (An-ae-ro-bic), with the stress on "ro". Anaerobic refers to a biological process or metabolism that occurs without the use of oxygen. It describes environments, organisms, or activities that do not require atmospheric oxygen and often involve energy production through fermentation or anaerobic respiration. This term is common in biology, exercise physiology, and medical contexts.
adjectiveAnaerobic refers to a biological process or metabolism that occurs without the use of oxygen. It describes environments, organisms, or activities that do not require atmospheric oxygen and often involve energy production through fermentation or anaerobic respiration. This term is common in biology, exercise physiology, and medical contexts.
How to Pronounce Anaerobic
"Anaerobic exercises, like sprinting and weightlifting, rely on energy pathways that don’t use oxygen."
"Certain bacteria thrive in anaerobic conditions, such as deep mud or sediments."
"An anaerobic process can create byproducts like lactic acid during intense activity."
You say it as /ˌæn.əˈroʊ.bɪk/ in US and UK. The prefix is stressed lightly, the second syllable is unstressed, and the main stress lands on the third syllable 'ro'—so: an-uh-ROH-bik. Start with a short 'a' in 'an', a relaxed 'uh' in the second syllable, then a clear 'roh' with a long O, finishing with a light 'bik'.
Mistakes include flattening the second syllable into a quick 'a' as in 'ana', misplacing the stress on the 'a' of the second syllable, and pronouncing the 'ro' as a short 'rao' or 'roe' without the proper long O. Correct by: keeping the second syllable unstressed ('ə'), giving the 'ro' a long O (as in 'rose'), and ending with a light 'bik', not a hard 'bick'.
US/UK: primary stress on the third syllable; US tends to a slightly rhotacized or flapped 'r' in rapid speech, UK may show crisper vowels; AU typically features a clearer vowel distinction with a longer 'a' and slightly softer 'r' singling out the non-rhotic patterns. The vowels remain /æ/ in the first, /ə/ in the second, /roʊ/ the stressed third, and /ɪ/ for the final syllable.
Because of the combination of the unstressed 'ə' after the initial /æ/, the long diphthong /oʊ/ in 'roʊ', and the abrupt stop with /bɪk/ at the end; many speakers compress the two middle syllables, losing the intended rhythm. Practice slowing the transition from /ə/ to /roʊ/ and ensure the final /ɪk/ is light, not a heavy 'ik'.
No silent letters in standard pronunciation. Every letter corresponds to a phoneme: 'a' /æ/ or /ə/ depending on stress, 'n' /n/, 'e' often silent or reduced to /ə/, 'ro' /roʊ/, 'b' /b/, 'ic' /ɪk/. The challenge is not silences but the vowel reductions and the long 'o' diphthong in /roʊ/ and the final syllable /ɪk/.
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Anaerobic is formed from Greek an-, meaning 'without', and Latin aer, aeris, meaning 'air', combined with the scientific suffix -obic from Greek -bios relating to life or a process. The term first arose in early 20th-century biology and physiology to distinguish processes that do not require oxygen from those that do. The prefix 'an-' (without) is used across scientific terms to specify absence, while 'aerobic' describes processes that utilize oxygen. The combined form anaerobic entered scientific literature in contexts such as microbiology (anaerobic bacteria) and exercise physiology (anaerobic energy systems). The concept evolved as researchers clarified that some organisms, enzymes, and metabolic pathways operate efficiently in low- or no-oxygen environments, using fermentation or anaerobic respiration to generate ATP. Over time, anaerobic became a standard term in biology, medicine, and sports science, distinguishing energy production modes and environmental niches where oxygen is scarce or absent. The term still frequently appears in clinical discussions of anaerobic infections, anaerobic digestion, and high-intensity exercise protocols.
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Words that rhyme with "Anaerobic"
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