3 syllables: chem, i, cals. Stress on chem.
KEM-ik-uhlz
/ˈkɛmɪkəlz/
chemicals is pronounced KEM-ik-uhlz (/ˈkɛmɪkəlz/). It has three syllables (chem-i-cals), with the stress on "chem". Chemicals are substances composed of chemical elements or compounds formed by chemical reactions. In everyday use, the word typically refers to synthetic or industrially produced substances, often in contrast to natural materials. It can appear in contexts from science and industry to environmental discussions, where precision about composition and properties matters.
Chemicals are substances composed of chemical elements or compounds formed by chemical reactions. In everyday use, the word typically refers to synthetic or industrially produced substances, often in contrast to natural materials. It can appear in contexts from science and industry to environmental discussions, where precision about composition and properties matters.
- You might overemphasize the middle vowel, saying /ˈkeːmɪkəlz/ with a long first vowel; aim for a short /ɛ/ in the first syllable. - The final syllable can be reduced in casual speech, making it sound like /-kəl/ with a soft /z; practice keeping /z/ audible. - Many learners drop the second vowel entirely, so you say /ˈkɛmɪkəl/ instead of /ˈkɛmɪkəlz/; keep the final /z/ to signal plurality and correctness. - Another pitfall is turning /ɪ/ into /iː/ in the second syllable; maintain the short /ɪ/ for natural rhythm.
"The laboratory protocol requires handling hazardous chemicals with gloves and goggles."
"Researchers tested a range of chemicals to determine their reactivity under heat."
"Regulations govern the labeling and storage of household chemicals to prevent accidents."
Pronounce as /ˈkɛmɪkəlz/ in US and UK, with the first syllable stressed: CHE-mi-kels. Start with a short /ɛ/ vowel in the first syllable, smooth /m/ and a light /ɪ/ in the second, ending with /kəlz/ (a schwa in the second-to-last syllable before /lz/). Practically: 'KEM-ih-kuhls.' Audio references include standard dictionaries; you can also listen to Pronounce or Forvo for native pronunciations to hear the subtle /ɪ/ versus /iː/ differences.
Two frequent errors are misplacing stress and mispronouncing the final cluster. People sometimes say CHEM-i-kal instead of CHE-mi-kals, shifting stress to the first or last syllable or dropping the final /l/ sound. Also, the final -als is often mispronounced as -als with a hard /l/ rather than the reduced /əl/ followed by /z/. Aim for /ˈkɛmɪkəlz/ with a light, schwa-like second syllable and a clear, voiced final /z/ after an /əl/.
In US and UK, the first syllable carries primary stress: /ˈkɛmɪkəlz/. The rhotic US accent adds a subtle rhotics later in the word, though not a heavy r; the UK non-rhotic accents may have a more faded post-vocalic r, often realized as /ˈkemɪkəlz/ with less rhoticity. Australian English typically resembles UK/US patterns but with a slightly broader vowel in the first syllable, sometimes approaching /ˈkɛmɪkəlz/ with a more centralized or raised vowel quality depending on the region.
Key challenges include the sequence of unstressed Schwa-like vowels in the middle and the consonant cluster at the end /-kəlz/. The transition from /k/ to /əl/ can be slurred in rapid speech, and the final /z/ voice can be devoiced in careful speech or syllabic reduction in casual speech. Fusing /ˈkɛmɪ/ and /kəlz/ requires precise tongue position: a mid-front /ɛ/ in the first syllable, a short /ɪ/ in the second, and a relaxed but controlled /l/ before the /z/.
A unique aspect is the pronunciation of the final -icals as -ikalz with a light schwa-like vowel before the /l/ and an audible but not overly strong /z/. It’s common for speakers to substitute a clearer /l/ or to compensate with a stronger final /z/ in careful speech. Paying attention to the medial /ɪ/ and ensuring the /k/ before the /əl/ is crisp helps keep the word natural-sounding in both careful and conversational speech.
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- US: rhotic influence is light in this word; ensure /ˈkɛmɪkəlz/ with a brief /ɪ/ before the /k/. - UK: often a more clipped mid vowel in the first syllable; the /ɹ/ sound is not prominent; keep the /k/ crisp before the /əl/ and /z/. - AU: could feature a slightly broader vowel; aim for similar but slightly rounded /ɛ/ and steady /z/ at the end; listen for regional variation in the /ə/ of the second syllable. IPA references: US /ˈkɛmɪkəlz/; UK /ˈkemɪkəlz/; AU /ˈkɛmɪkəlz/.
The word chemicals originates from the medieval Latin chemica, from chemia, and ultimately from the Ancient Greek χημεία (khēmeía), meaning 'the art of chemical transformation' or 'alchemy.' The Greek term is connected to χημεία (khēmeía) and χημεύειν (khēmeúein), denoting the practice of transmuting substances. In Old French, the term was chymie, reflecting the historical spelling chemi- in early English borrowings. By the 16th–17th centuries, English used chemic, chemistry, and chemical to describe substances and the science of composition and reactions. The modern plural chemicals emerged as the language standardized, highlighting multiple distinct substances or types of chemical compounds. Over time, the sense shifted from general materia to the specific category of synthetic and naturally occurring chemical substances used in industry, science, and everyday products.
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Words that rhyme with "chemicals"
-als sounds
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