3 syllables: Cap, sai, cin. Stress on sai.
kap-SAY-suhn
/ˌkæˈpseɪsən/
Capsaicin is pronounced kap-SAY-suhn (/ˌkæˈpseɪsən/). It has three syllables (Cap-sai-cin), with the stress on "sai". Capsaicin is a spicy-tasting alkaloid found in chili peppers, responsible for the hot sensation. It is used in foods, topical analgesics, and research to study pain pathways. The word is medical-scientific in register, pronounced with three syllables and emphasis on the second: cap-SAY-sin.
nounCapsaicin is a spicy-tasting alkaloid found in chili peppers, responsible for the hot sensation. It is used in foods, topical analgesics, and research to study pain pathways. The word is medical-scientific in register, pronounced with three syllables and emphasis on the second: cap-SAY-sin.
How to Pronounce Capsaicin
"The capsaicin extract gave the peppers their fiery heat."
"Capsaicin is often used in topical creams for muscle pain relief."
"Researchers study capsaicin to understand how pain is transmitted."
Capsaicin is pronounced /ˌkæpˈseɪsɪn/. The primary stress is on the second syllable: cap-SAY-sin. Begin with a crisp /k/ onset, short /æ/ vowel in the first syllable, a clear /eɪ/ diphthong in the second, then the final /sɪn/ with a light release. Think: cap (quick) + say (as in ‘say’) + sin (like the word ‘sin’ but with an /ɪn/ ending). IPA reference helps ensure you’re hitting /ˌkæpˈseɪsɪn/ precisely.
Common errors include collapsing the second syllable into a quick /saɪ/ or misplacing stress, saying cap-SEE-sin or cap-sə-SEE-in. Some speakers flatten the /ɪ/ in the final syllable to /iː/ or omit the final /n/. To correct: emphasize /ˈseɪ/ with a clear /eɪ/ diphthong and keep the final /n/ distinct. Practice by breaking into parts: /kæp/ + /ˈseɪ/ + /sɪn/ and then blend smoothly.
In US and UK, the second syllable carries primary stress: /ˌkæpˈseɪsɪn/. American rhoticity doesn’t change this word much, but vowel length and /æ/ quality can shift slightly with regional accents. Australian English tends to be less rhotic and may show a subtly broader /æ/ and a more centralized /ɪ/; the /seɪ/ diphthong remains prominent. Overall, the stress pattern stays cap-SAY-sin across these varieties.
Capsaicin combines an unusual cluster /pˈseɪ/ and a two-syllable rhythm with a prominent /eɪ/ diphthong. The challenge is maintaining the second syllable stress while keeping a crisp /s/ before the final /ɪn/. Some speakers misplace stress on the first syllable or soften /seɪ/ into /siː/. Focus on the distinct /ˈseɪ/ and a clear final /n/.
Capsaicin contains the /p/ followed by an aspirated /p/ onset that can clash with the voiceless /s/. Ensure the transition from /p/ to /s/ is smooth and not velarized; maintain air pressure for a crisp /s/. The final /ɪn/ should be quick but not swallowed. Visualize saying cap, then a sharp, clear Say, then a light N with tongue near the alveolar ridge.
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Capsaicin derives from capsa, Latin for ‘box’ or ‘case’ — a root linked to the pepper’s capsaicin-containing structures. The suffix -icin mirrors many alkaloid and chemical names, coming from Greek -ίνη (-inē) indicating a chemical compound. The term appeared in late 19th to early 20th century scientific literature as chili peppers gained interest in physiology and flavor science. It entered common scientific discourse through biochemistry and pharmacology, with early isolation and structural elucidation by chemists studying the capsaicinoids. The first known usage traces to pepper chemistry texts around the 1890s to 1920s, with modern pharmacological context solidifying in the mid-20th century as capsaicin’s receptor interactions (TRPV1) were characterized. Today, capsaicin is recognized both as the spicy constituent of peppers and as a tool in pain research and topical products.
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Words that rhyme with "Capsaicin"
-sin sounds
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