2 syllables: Be, taine. Stress on Be.
BEE-tayn
/ˈbiːteɪn/
Betaine is pronounced BEE-tayn (/ˈbiːteɪn/). It has two syllables (Be-taine), with the stress on "Be". Betaine is a nitrogen-containing compound found in plants, animals, and microorganisms, often used in food and supplement industries. It is also a zwitterion at physiological pH, contributing to osmoregulation in cells. In chemistry, betaine denotes a trimethylglycine derivative whose name reflects its discovery in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris).
nounBetaine is a nitrogen-containing compound found in plants, animals, and microorganisms, often used in food and supplement industries. It is also a zwitterion at physiological pH, contributing to osmoregulation in cells. In chemistry, betaine denotes a trimethylglycine derivative whose name reflects its discovery in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris).
How to Pronounce Betaine
"The nutritional supplement betaine supports liver function and lipid metabolism."
"Researchers used betaine as a buffering agent in biochemical assays."
"Betaine malate is a popular electrolyte supplement for athletes."
Betaine is pronounced bi-TEEN with the main stress on the second syllable. IPA US: /ˈbeɪtiːn/. The first syllable sounds like 'bay,' the second like 'teen,' and the ending nasal is light. In careful speech you’ll hear a long 'ee' in the second syllable. Think: BAY-teen. If you’re practicing, exaggerate the /eɪ/ in the first syllable and the long /iː/ in the second to lock in the rhythm. You can listen to pronunciation on Forvo or Pronounce for audio reference, and mirror the mouth shape as you say the two syllables.
Common mistakes include misplacing stress (saying be-TAINE) and shortening the second syllable to /ɪn/ or /ən/. Also, learners may mispronounce the /beɪ/ as a short /bɛ/ or mis-treat the final /n/ as a nasal flap. Correction tips: keep the first syllable as a clear /beɪ/ with a true long vowel, and land the second syllable with /tiːn/ rather than /tɪn/. Practice with slow, precise contrast pairs: /ˈbeɪtiːn/ vs /ˈbɛtɪn/ to feel the difference. Use a mirror to ensure the mouth opens wide for /eɪ/ and to maintain the high front tongue for /iː/.
In US, UK, and AU, the word is /ˈbeɪtiːn/ with stress on the first syllable. The vowel in the first syllable is a long /eɪ/ (as in 'bay'), and the second syllable is /tiːn/ with a long /iː/. The rhoticity doesn’t affect this word much, but you might hear slightly sharper diphthong reduction in some Australian speech, where vowels can be more centralized. Overall, keep /beɪ/ and /tiːn/ consistent across accents, noting minor vowel quality differences and non-rhotic variation in some UK speech.
The difficulty lies in the two-stressed syllable rhythm and maintaining a long /eɪ/ followed by a long /iː/. The /beɪ/ onset requires a precise jaw drop and a smooth glide into the /tiːn/. Some speakers may reduce the final /tiːn/ to /tɪn/ or drop the final nasal, making it sound like /ˈbeɪtiː/ or /ˈbeɪtɪn/. Focus on sustaining the /eɪ/ into a full /tiːn/ with clear tongue elevation for /iː/. The audio examples from Pronounce or Forvo can help you compare.
What role does the 'ei' sequence play in betaINE’s pronunciation? The digraph 'ei' corresponds to the /eɪ/ diphthong in both syllables, indicating a long vowel onset. The final 'ine' spells /iːn/ with a long /iː/ vowel and a nasal /n/. This contrasts with similar spellings like 'geline' or 'serene' where vowels differ. Focus on producing the /eɪ/ in the first syllable, then glide into a crisp, elongated /tiːn/ with a clearly enunciated final /n/.
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Betaine derives from the word beta, from Beta vulgaris (beet). The term reflects its abundant presence in beets, notably sugar beet, where it was first identified as a component contributing to osmotic balance. The root glycine betaine arises from its chemical relation to glycine and its status as a glycine derivative with three methyl groups attached to the amino nitrogen, creating a trimethylglycine structure. The English medical and biochemical literature began using betaine in the early 20th century as researchers isolated and characterized this zwitterionic compound with buffering and osmoprotective properties. The name betaine appears in various languages as betaine, betén, and betaína, but the root concept remains stable: a methylated glycine with zwitterionic character that stabilizes cells under osmotic stress. The first well-documented uses relate to plant physiology and metabolism studies, expanding to nutritional and pharmaceutical contexts as analytic methods improved and synthetic production became feasible.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Betaine" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Betaine" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Betaine"
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