3 syllables: cen, tri, fuged. Stress on tri.
sen-TRIF-yoojd
/sɛnˈtrɪfjuːdʒd/
centrifuged is pronounced sen-TRIF-yoojd (/sɛnˈtrɪfjuːdʒd/). It has three syllables (cen-tri-fuged), with the stress on "tri". Centrifuged is the past tense or past participle form of centrifuge, meaning subjected to a high-speed rotation to separate components of a mixture. It denotes a process used in labs and industry to spin samples, producing a dense sediment and a clearer supernatant. In context, it often implies that the separation has been completed.
Centrifuged is the past tense or past participle form of centrifuge, meaning subjected to a high-speed rotation to separate components of a mixture. It denotes a process used in labs and industry to spin samples, producing a dense sediment and a clearer supernatant. In context, it often implies that the separation has been completed.
"The blood sample was centrifuged at 3,000 g to separate plasma from cells."
"After centrifuging, the mixture settled into a clear liquid and a dark pellet."
"The technician centrifuged the solution to concentrate the desired compound."
Pronounce it as SEN-tri-fyud or SEN-trɪ-fjuːd, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA Uy US: /ˈsen.trɪ.fju.dʒd/; UK/AU: /ˈsen.trɪ.fjuːd/. The middle 'tri' is a quick, lightly reduced syllable, and the final 'ged' often sounds like /dʒd/ or /d/ depending on pace. Think: 'SEN' + 'tri' + 'fyud' with the 'fyud' sounding like 'fyu-d' in connected speech.
Common errors: pronouncing the middle 'tri' too strongly (as a full 'tri' syllable) and misplacing the final consonant cluster, or turning /dʒd/ into a plain /d/ after a /j/ sound. Correction: keep the 'tri' light and quick; end with a subtle /dʒd/ blend or a light /d/ depending on pace. Focus on the /fjuːd/ portion for the 'fyu' sound and avoid a heavy exhalation on the final /dʒd/.
In US, the final syllable often reduces to /dʒd/ as a quick blend; in UK, the final can be pronounced /d/ or /dʒd/ with less vowel length in the first syllable; Australian tends toward a long 'u' sound in the second syllable and a clearer secondary stress on the first syllable. All share primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈsen.trɪ.fjuːd/ (UK/AU) or /ˈsen.trɪ.fju.dʒd/ (US).
It blends a multi-consonant final cluster with a 'ju' glide. The 'centr-i-fug-ed' sequence requires precise lip rounding on /juː/ or /ju/ and a quick, light release on the final /dʒd/ or /d/. The stress and the fast tempo in technical speech make it easy to misplace the syllable boundary, especially for non-native speakers.
A notable nuance is the 'fyud' ending: /fjuːd/ or /fdʒd/ depending on accent. Speakers often fuse /ˈsen.trɪ.fjuːd/ with a smooth vowel in the second syllable and a trailing 'd' that can feel almost inaudible in rapid speech. Focusing on the 'fju' ligature helps align a native-like delivery, especially in formal labs talk.
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The word centrifuged comes from centrifuge, with the -ed suffix marking the past tense. Centrifuge itself is from Latin centrum 'center' + fugere 'to flee' (from Latin fugere meaning 'to flee' or 'to escape'), literally meaning 'to flee from the center' as it spins to separate substances by centrifugal force. The term entered English via scientific contexts in the 19th century as technology for separating mixtures evolved. Early centrifuges were devices using manual or mechanical means to produce rapid rotation; as methods improved, the form centrifuged appeared in scientific literature to describe the action already completed on a sample. The shift from noun to past participle/adjective form allowed scientists to state results (centrifuged sample) and to specify processes in procedural descriptions. The first known uses appear in chemistry and biology texts of the late 1800s, with broader adoption in clinical laboratories as ultracentrifugation and high-speed variants emerged in the 20th century. Over time, centrifuged has become a common descriptor in protocols, research articles, and lab reports, maintaining a precise sense of a completed centrifugal separation step.
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Words that rhyme with "centrifuged"
-ged sounds
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