3 syllables: e, lec, tron. Stress on lec.
il-EK-trahn
/ˌɪˈlɛktɹɑn/
electron is pronounced il-EK-trahn (/ˌɪˈlɛktɹɑn/). It has three syllables (e-lec-tron), with the stress on "lec". Electron is a subatomic particle with a negative electric charge. In physics and chemistry, it is fundamental to atomic structure and chemical bonding, orbiting the nucleus in electron shells or orbitals. The term also appears in wider contexts (electronics, plasma physics) to denote charge carriers or small particles influencing conductivity and reactions. The word emphasizes the particle’s role in electricity and matter at the quantum level.
Electron is a subatomic particle with a negative electric charge. In physics and chemistry, it is fundamental to atomic structure and chemical bonding, orbiting the nucleus in electron shells or orbitals. The term also appears in wider contexts (electronics, plasma physics) to denote charge carriers or small particles influencing conductivity and reactions. The word emphasizes the particle’s role in electricity and matter at the quantum level.
"The electron moves around the nucleus in well-defined orbits described by quantum mechanics."
"In a vacuum tube, electrons are emitted from a hot filament to produce current."
"Electrical conduction in metals occurs when electrons drift under an applied electric field."
Pronounce as i-ˈlek-trən in US and UK; AU closely mirrors US/UK with the initial syllable sounding like a short ‘i’ before a clear ‘e’. The primary stress is on the second syllable: lektrən. Tip: start with a light, short ‘i’ then a crisp ‘e’ in ‘lek’, and finish with a relaxed schwa plus n. IPA references: US /ɪˈlɛktrɒn/ (older/alternative), UK /ɪˈlɛktrɒn/; most common is /ɪˈlek.trən/ in both US and UK, ending with /ən/.
Common errors: 1) Slurring the first syllable as a long ‘ee’ rather than a short, unstressed ‘e’ (/ɪ/). 2) Dropping the second vowel or making the second syllable too strong; keep it as a schwa /ə/ in unstressed position. 3) Misplacing the final consonant, sometimes adding a ‘d’ sound or nasalizing awkwardly. Correction: render as /ɪˈlek.trən/ with a crisp ‘lek’, light secondary stress on the second syllable, and a relaxed final /ən/.
US and UK share the /ɪˈlek.trən/ skeleton, with the main difference being rhoticity: US is rhotic, but ‘electron’ itself ends with /-ən/ and is not influenced by rhoticity; UK is non-rhotic in some accents but often still rhotic enough. AU typically mirrors UK/US closely but may feature a slightly broader vowel in /ɪ/ and a shorter /ə/. Overall, you’ll hear a clipped initial /ɪ/, a clear /e/ vowel in /lek/, and a reduced final /ə/.
Difficulties stem from the two-stress pattern with a mid-to-high front vowel in the first syllable, and the unstressed, fast final schwa. The cluster /l/ + /k/ followed by /tr/ can be tricky, especially for non-native speakers. Practicing the transition from /ˈl/ to /k/ to /tr/ without adding extra vowel helps. Pay attention to the crisp short /ɪ/ and avoid elongating the second syllable.
Electron often triggers a check on the position of the stress and the reduction of the final vowel. Unlike some two-syllable words, the emphasis sits on the second syllable, so you must sustain a steady /m/ to /n/ flow rather than a trailing vowel. The critical checks are ensuring /ɪ/ is short, the /e/ is clean, and the final /ən/ remains unstressed and neutral.
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US: rhotic influence is minimal in this word; vowel quality is flat: /ɪˈlek.trən/. UK: similar but might show slightly tighter /ə/ in final; AU: similar to US but with a rounded, quicker /ə/ and less reduction in some speakers. Vowel-focused guidance: ensure /ɪ/ is short and /e/ is closed; the final /ən/ has a soft, relaxed schwa. Consonant cluster /ktr/ should be compact without extra vowels.
The word electron derives from the Greek word elektron, meaning amber, which is tied to the ancient Greek experiments observing static electricity when amber is rubbed. The suffix -on comes from the Latin -on, used in subatomic particle nomenclature in the 19th century, extending from words like proton and neutron. The first English usage appears in late 19th-century physics literature, as scientists began describing subatomic constituents after J. J. Thomson’s experiments in 1897 identified the electron as a negatively charged particle. The term quickly became standard in textbooks and scientific discourse, paralleling the expanding field of atomic theory and quantum mechanics. Over time, ‘electron’ has also entered everyday language via electronics and electrical engineering, where it denotes the charge carriers responsible for current in conductive media. The evolution reflects a shift from conceptual particle to practical unit in circuits, materials science, and modern technology.
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Words that rhyme with "electron"
-der sounds
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