5 syllables: Co, ag, u, la, tion. Stress on la.
koh-ag-yuh-LAY-shuhn
/koʊˌæɡjəˈleɪʃən/
Coagulation is pronounced koh-ag-yuh-LAY-shuhn (/koʊˌæɡjəˈleɪʃən/). It has five syllables (Co-ag-u-la-tion), with the stress on "la". Coagulation is the process by which a liquid, especially blood, changes into a semi-solid mass or gel, forming clumps or a clot. It involves a cascade of enzymatic reactions that convert soluble fibrinogen into insoluble fibrin threads, trapping cells to seal a wound. The term also applies to any thickening or clotting-like change in liquids.
nounCoagulation is the process by which a liquid, especially blood, changes into a semi-solid mass or gel, forming clumps or a clot. It involves a cascade of enzymatic reactions that convert soluble fibrinogen into insoluble fibrin threads, trapping cells to seal a wound. The term also applies to any thickening or clotting-like change in liquids.
- You might rush the word and omit the clear break between co-a- and gu-, making it sound like /koæɡjəleɪʃən/. Slow down and practice syllable by syllable. - The /æ/ in the second syllable can slide toward /e/ or /ɛ/ in fast speech, so you might say /koˈæɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ incorrectly; fix by isolating the /æ/ with a crisp /ɡ/ immediately after. - The /j/ before /ə/ is a subtle glide; neglecting it (saying /koɡləˈleɪʃən/) reduces naturalness. Practice the /j/ as a brief consonantal substitution before the schwa.
How to Pronounce Coagulation
"During a cut, coagulation helps stop the bleeding as platelets and clotting factors work together."
"Industrial processes sometimes require the coagulation of emulsions to separate solids from liquids."
"In microbiology, coagulation can refer to the clumping of cells when exposed to certain antibodies."
Pronounce as /ˌkoʊˌæɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ in US, with primary stress on the -leɪ- syllable. Break it into co-a- gula- tion, stressing the third syllable: co-a-GU-la-tion. Start with a rounded /oʊ/ in the first syllable, then /æ/ as in cat, then /jə/ (yuh) for the informal schwa+ya sound, then /ˈleɪ/ (lay), and a final /ʃən/ (shun). You’ll want to prevent a heavy “co-” from sounding like “ko-” only; keep light but clear secondary stress on the second syllable.
Two frequent errors: (1) Flattening the /ˈleɪ.ʃən/ into a single heavy syllable, making it ‘KO-ag-you-LAY-shun’; distribute the stress: co-a-GU-la-tion. (2) Mispronouncing the /æ/ in the second syllable as /eɪ/ or reducing /jə/ to a quick schwa without glide; aim for a light /jə/ before the /ˈleɪ/. Correct by isolating the middle: /æɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ with clear /j/ onset before /ə/.
In US, the /ˌkoʊ.æɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ uses a clear /oʊ/ in the first syllable and stressed /ˈleɪ/ later; non-rhoticity is less of an issue because there’s an audible vowel in the final syllable. UK tends to a shorter /əʊ/ in /koʊ/ and can be less rhotic in some regions; AU mirrors UK but with a more lenient /ɪ/ vs /iː/ in some speakers. Overall, the main differences are vowel quality in the first syllable and the strength of the /ɡ/ cluster before /jə/. IPA guides: US /ˌkoʊˌæɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/, UK /ˌkəʊˌæɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/, AU /ˌkəʊˌæɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic structure with several consecutive consonants and a mid-word stress shift: /koʊ/ + /æ/ + /ɡ/ + /jə/ + /ˈleɪ/ + /ʃən/. The /æɡ/ cluster and the /jə/ glide require precise tongue positioning; failing to clearly separate syllables makes the word run together. Practice segmenting (co-a-Gu-la-tion) and ensure the /ˈleɪ/ receives strong emphasis while the ending /ʃən/ remains light.
The word often features a mid-word stress pattern with a noticeable secondary rhythm around the /æɡ.jə/ portion, which can be misheard as a two- or three-syllable beat. Additionally, the sequence /æɡ.jə/ includes a soft g and a palatal glide /j/, which are easy to neutralize or mispronounce if you rush. Focusing on segmenting into co-a-gu-la-tion helps keep the rhythm and improves intelligibility.
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- US: emphasize rhoticity minimally; the first syllable /koʊ/ uses a rounded diphthong, with a clear /æ/ thereafter. - UK: more staccato on /əʊ/ and a crisper /ɡ.jə/ cluster; keep the /j/ linked but not swallowed. - AU: tends to a elongated /əʊ/ and slightly more relaxed /jə/; ensure the /ɡ/ remains distinct. Always anchor the final /ʃən/ softly. IPA references: US /ˌkoʊˌæɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/, UK /ˌkəʊˌæɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/, AU /ˌkəʊˌæɡ.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/.
Coagulation comes from the Latin coagulatio, from coagulare meaning to curdle or coagulate, formed by co- (together) and grex, greg- meaning herd or flock, with the sense of bringing together to form a mass. The English form appeared in the late 15th century via Old French coagulation, influenced by medieval Latin coagulatio. The root coagul- derives from Latin coagulare, itself built from co- (together) + agulare, referring to a process of thickening. Over time, the medical-science sense of coagulation—blood clot formation—became dominant, but the word maintained broader senses in chemistry and colloidal science, describing any gelation or solidification process. The term has developed a specialized, technical flavor in biology and pathology, while remaining usable in industrial and everyday contexts when describing thickening or clotting processes.
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Words that rhyme with "Coagulation"
-ion sounds
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