3 syllables: Di, ges, tion. Stress on ges.
deye-JES-chuhn
/daɪˈdʒɛstʃən/
Digestion is pronounced deye-JES-chuhn (/daɪˈdʒɛstʃən/). It has three syllables (Di-ges-tion), with the stress on "ges". Digestion is the biological process by which food is broken down in the digestive system, enabling nutrients to be absorbed. It encompasses both mechanical breakdown (chewing, stomach churning) and chemical breakdown (saliva, stomach acid, enzymes). The term is commonly used in biology, medicine, and nutrition to describe how consumed food becomes usable energy and building blocks for the body.
nounDigestion is the biological process by which food is broken down in the digestive system, enabling nutrients to be absorbed. It encompasses both mechanical breakdown (chewing, stomach churning) and chemical breakdown (saliva, stomach acid, enzymes). The term is commonly used in biology, medicine, and nutrition to describe how consumed food becomes usable energy and building blocks for the body.
How to Pronounce Digestion
"The digestion process begins in the mouth with chewing and saliva."
"Researchers studied how digestion efficiency changes after a high-fiber diet."
"Digestive enzymes play a crucial role in breaking down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates."
Pronounce as di-DJES-shun with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US: dɪˈdʒɛs.tɪ.ən; UK: dɪˈdʒeɪ.stɪ.ən; AU: dɪˈdʒɛs.tɪ.ən. Focus on the /dʒ/ sound in the second syllable, and keep the final unstressed syllable light. Listen for a short, crisp first syllable, then a pronounced middle syllable, ending with a soft schwa-like ending in many accents. Audio resources can reinforce the /dʒ/ placement and the final schwa-like /ən/.
Common errors: misplacing stress (saying di-DIG-tion), mispronouncing the /dʒ/ as a plain /d/ or /j/ (dj-ems), and making the final -tion sound as a hard /ən/ instead of a light /ən/. Correct by emphasizing the second syllable with a clear /dʒ/ and letting the last syllable be a soft, neutral /ən/ or /n̩/; practice by saying dɪˈdʒɛs.tɪ.ən slowly, then at natural speed.
US: dɪˈdʒɛs.tɪ.ən with a rhotic r-supported vowel rhythm; UK: dɪˈdʒes.tɪ.ən with slightly tighter vowels and non-rhoticity generally, broader /eɪ/ in some speakers; AU: dɪˈdʒes.tɪ.ən with flatter vowels and a more uniform vowel quality, sometimes a slightly longer /e/ in the middle syllable. The primary stress remains on the second syllable across all three accents.
The challenge lies in the contrasting cluster /dʒ/ immediately after a short stressed syllable and the final unstressed -tion. The middle syllable requires a precise affricate /dʒ/ production, followed by a schwa-like ending that often weakens. Maintaining even syllable duration and avoiding a heavy ending helps prevent mispronunciations like /dɪˈdʒes.tɪ.ən/ sounding rushed or as /dɪˈdʒing.stən/.
The second syllable bears primary stress and contains the /dʒ/ sound which can be mistaken for a separate /dj/ or split if you place the tongue incorrectly. Focus on a single strong /dʒ/ onset, with the following short /ɛ/ vowel in that syllable and a rapid transition to a light /tɪ/ before the final /ən/. This keeps the mouth movement efficient and accurate across speeds.
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Digestion comes from the Latin digestio, from digerere ‘to separate, to separate… to digest’, formed from dis- ‘apart’ + gerere ‘to bear, to carry’. The root diger- is related to the Greek diairein ‘to divide, cut apart’. First appearing in English in the 14th century via late Latin digesio; the term solidified in modern science by the 19th century as physiology formalized the digestive process. The word evolved from general ‘to separate’ notions to a specialized medical term describing the breakdown of food, absorption of nutrients, and processing within the digestive tract. In medical literature, digestion is now routinely contrasted with absorption, metabolism, and excretion, reflecting a layered understanding of nutrient processing from ingestion to elimination. The etymology reflects a comprehensive view of separation and processing, aligning with how enzymes and acids enzymatically segment macronutrients into usable components over a cascade of organs including the mouth, stomach, and intestines.
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Words that rhyme with "Digestion"
-ion sounds
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