3 syllables: Col, la, gen. Stress on Col.
KAH-luh-guhn
/ˈkɑləɡən/
Collagen is pronounced KAH-luh-guhn (/ˈkɑləɡən/). It has three syllables (Col-la-gen), with the stress on "Col". Collagen is a large family of fibrous proteins that form the framework of connective tissues. It provides structural support in skin, bone, cartilage, and tendons, and is critical for tissue strength and elasticity. The term is often used in biology and health contexts to discuss dietary supplements, aging, and tissue repair.
nounCollagen is a large family of fibrous proteins that form the framework of connective tissues. It provides structural support in skin, bone, cartilage, and tendons, and is critical for tissue strength and elasticity. The term is often used in biology and health contexts to discuss dietary supplements, aging, and tissue repair.
"The dermatologist explained how collagen fibers give skin its firmness."
"Researchers studied how collagen cross-links influence bone strength."
"Collagen supplements are popular for joint health and skin hydration."
Collagen is pronounced /ˈkɒl.ə.dʒən/ (US) or /ˈkɒl.ə.dʒən/ (UK/AU). The primary stress is on the first syllable COL-, with a soft 'o' as in 'cost' and a light schwa in the middle syllable. The final '-gen' sounds like 'jən' with a soft 'j' (as in 'vision'). Tip: emphasize COL- and keep -ə- small to avoid saying 'coll-age-en'. Audio reference: you can compare phonemes in standard dictionaries or Pronounce resources.
Common errors include misplacing stress (saying co-LA-gen), overpronouncing the middle vowel as a full 'a' (/ˈkɒl.æ.dʒən/) or elongating the final syllable (/ˈkɒl.ə.dʒiːn/). Another mistake is blending the final 'gen' too sharply as /dʒn/; keep it as /-dʒən/. Correct by practicing COL- (short o, back rounded), a quick schwa in the middle, and a soft -gen with a brief, unstressed vowel. Use minimal pairs with 'column' style reductions to train the rhythm.
US: /ˈkɒl.ə.dʒən/ with rhoticity neutralized after certain vowels; UK/AU: /ˈkɒl.ə.dʒən/ with non-rhotic tendency in careful speech causing a slightly more clipped end; Australian may show a slightly broader 'o' and a quick, light vowel between syllables. In all, the primary stress remains on COL-, while the middle vowel remains a schwa-ish /ə/. The main differences are vowel quality and linking patterns in connected speech.
The challenge lies in the sequence COL- + a soft schwa + -gen, especially the 'lj' blend implied by the /l/ + /ə/ + /dʒ/ sequence and the final unstressed /ən/. Many speakers mispronounce it as 'col-lage-en' or 'colla-gen' with a hard 'g'. The key is maintaining a short front-back 'o' sound, a quick middle /ə/, and a light, almost silent 'g'-like /dʒ/ before a faint /ən/. Listen for the /dʒ/ as a single affricate rather than a separate cluster.
A useful check is noticing the word starts with COL- (not COL- like 'college' with a hard 'e'), followed by a soft, unstressed vowel in the middle, and ends with -gen pronounced /dʒən/. You’ll hear the syllables flow quickly in natural speech: COL-ə-dʒən. Don’t over-articulate the middle vowel or the final consonant; let the /dʒ/ blend lightly into the schwa. Think of it as three light beats: COL, ə, dʒən.
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US: rhoticity less pronounced after COL-, ensure /ɒ/ as back rounded; UK: keep non-rhotic, stronger schwa in middle; AU: maintains non-rhoticity but with slightly broader vowel quality, more relaxed jaw. Vowel notes: COL- uses /ɒ/ as in 'lot', middle /ə/ as schwa; final /dʒən/ as 'jən'. IPA references: /ˈkɒl.ə.dʒən/ (UK/AU) vs US equivalent. Stress remains on first syllable. Mouth positions: COL-: back jaw slightly lowered, lips rounded; middle /ə/: relaxed jaw; /dʒ/: tip of tongue behind top teeth, blade of tongue rises to meet alveolar ridge; final /ən/: neutralize to schwa with a quick nasal. Rhythm: three syllables, even timing, avoid elongated middle vowel.
Collagen derives from the Greek kolla, meaning glue, and Greek gen, meaning kind or kind of. The term reflects collagen’s role in binding tissues together, historically likened to glue. Early 19th-century scientists identified collagen as the primary protein in connective tissue, and by the late 1800s the term entered biomedical vocabularies as techniques for extracting and characterizing collagen advanced. Over time, the understanding evolved from a simple glue-like protein to a highly organized triple-helix molecule essential for structural integrity. The first known use in English appears in medical texts around the early 1800s as researchers described the fibrous, resilient nature of connective tissue and its extraction, setting the stage for modern biochemistry and molecular biology studies of collagen types I, II, III, and beyond.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Collagen" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Collagen"
-lin sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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