Comedogenic is an adjective describing substances or cosmetics that tend to cause or aggravate acne by blocking pores. It is used in dermatology and skincare literature to classify ingredients. The term combines the idea of comedones (blocked pores) with -genic (producing), indicating a tendency to produce acneiform lesions.
US: rhotic, flatter vowels in final syllables; US speakers often drop or reduce unstressed vowels; /ɪ/ vs /ɪk/ endings are lighter. UK: non-rhotic; vowels in unstressed syllables are shorter and more centralized; focus on /ɒ/ in the first syllable and /ɒdʒ/ for the middle. AU: tends toward UK-influenced vowels with slight raising of /ɪ/ in unstressed positions; pay attention to the /dʒ/ and final /ɪk/ or /ənɪk/ endings. IPA references: US /ˌkɑː.məˈdʒɛnɪk/, UK /ˌkɒ.məˈdɒdʒənɪk/, AU /ˌkɒ.məˈdʒɛnɪk/.
"The dermatologist warned that certain oils are highly comedogenic and could worsen your acne."
"She avoided comedogenic ingredients in her moisturizer to keep her skin clear."
"The study assessed the comedogenic potential of various cosmetic formulations."
"Petrochemical additives can be comedogenic, depending on their molecular structure."
Comedogenic derives from the noun comedo, from Latin comedus meaning ‘a swelling or lump,’ which itself enters medical vocabulary through the Greek word KOMEDON (κομέδων) meaning ‘a swelling, a pimple.’ The suffix -genic comes from Greek -genic, from gennaienai meaning ‘to beget, produce.’ The combination in modern English first appears in dermatology texts in the 20th century to denote substances capable of inducing comedones. Over time, the term broadened to describe any ingredient with a propensity to clog pores and contribute to acne, particularly in cosmetics and topical treatments. The word has been standardized in medical glossaries and is widely used in product labeling and dermatology articles. First known use is documented in early cosmetic science literature, where researchers needed a precise way to classify ingredients by their pore-blocking potential, later becoming a common descriptor in skin-care marketing and safety assessments.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Comedogenic" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Comedogenic"
-tic sounds
-gic sounds
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You pronounce it as /ˌkɒ.mɪ.dəˈdʒɒ.nɪk/ in UK English and /ˌkɑː.məˈdʒen.ɪk/ in US English, with primary stress on the third syllable (de-). The typical American articulation emphasizes the -do- syllable lightly, then the -gen- is a clear, soft -j- sound, followed by -ic. Break it into co-me-do-gen-ic, stressing the de- or gen- depending on dialect; aim for a smooth quattro-syllable rhythm. For Australian English, the pronunciation closely follows UK/US patterns but with a slightly flatter vowels on certain stretches. Listen for the -dʒ- sound before -nɪk. Audio cues: /ˌkɒ.məˈdʒɛn.ɪk/ (US variant) and /ˌkɒ.məˈdʒɛnɪk/ can be heard in many education resources.
Common errors include misplacing stress (saying co-ME-do-gen-ic instead of co-me-DO-gen-ic), mispronouncing the /dʒ/ as /d/ or /j/ in English, and running the schwa too short in the second syllable. To correct: ensure the primary stress lands on the third syllable after co-me- (or on de-, depending on dialect), articulate the /dʒ/ as a single palatal affricate /dʒ/, and maintain a clear, unstressed middle vowel. Practice with small chunks: co-me-DO-gen-ic, then build to connected speech.
In US English, you’ll hear /ˌkɑː.məˈdʒɛnɪk/, with a rhotic r and a clear /æ/ or /ɛ/ vowel depending on regional accent. UK English tends to have /ˌkɒ.məˈdɒdʒɪnɪk/ or /ˌkɒm.ɪˈdɒdʒənɪk/, with non-rhoticity and different vowel qualities. Australian tends to mirror UK with subtle vowel shifts: /ˌkɒ.məˈdʒɛnɪk/ or /ˌkɒ.məˈdʒeɪ.nɪk/. The critical differences are rhoticity (US rhotic vs UK/AU non-rhotic) and vowel quality in the first two syllables. Listen for the /dʒ/ cluster and the final /ɪk/ or /ənɪk/ endings.
The difficulty comes from the multi-syllable structure, the palatal affricate /dʒ/ in the middle, and the stress pattern that shifts from ae-like vowels to a strong -gen- syllable. The sequence co-me-do-gen-ic forces a quick transition between unstressed and stressed syllables and a precise mouth position for /dʒ/. Misplacing the stress or flattening the vowels creates a less natural delivery. Practice breaking into chunks and using minimal pairs to lock the movement.
A notable nuance is the placement of primary stress on the third syllable in many American pronunciations when speakers emphasize the root -genic- as the leading content-bearing unit. Some speakers may reduce the second syllable slightly, leading to co-me-DO-gen-ic with emphasis on -DO- or -GEN-. Being explicit about the suffix -ogenic/-genic helps: -ˈdʒɒnɪk vs -ˈdʒɛnɪk depending on dialect. Recording yourself helps ensure you’re anchoring stress on the intended syllable.
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