4 syllables: En, do, gen, ous. Stress on do.
en-DAW-jen-uhs
/ˌɛˈndɔdʒɛnəs/
Endogenous is pronounced en-DAW-jen-uhs (/ˌɛˈndɔdʒɛnəs/). It has four syllables (En-do-gen-ous), with the stress on "do". Endogenous is an adjective describing a process, condition, or plant growth that originates from within an organism or system, rather than from outside. It is often used in biology, medicine, and economics to contrast with exogenous factors. The term implies internal origin, development, or regulation that occurs without external influence.
adjectiveEndogenous is an adjective describing a process, condition, or plant growth that originates from within an organism or system, rather than from outside. It is often used in biology, medicine, and economics to contrast with exogenous factors. The term implies internal origin, development, or regulation that occurs without external influence.
"The researchers studied the endogenous factors that regulate cell differentiation."
"In ecology, endogenous cycles govern the growth and decay of populations."
"Endogenous growth mechanisms can complicate the interpretation of external shocks."
Endogenous is pronounced en-DOJ-ə-nəs, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US: ˌɛnˌdɒdʒəˈnəs or en-DOJ-ə-nəs; UK: ˌɛnˈdɒdʒəˌnəs; AU: ˌɛnˈdɒdʒəˌnəs. Focus on the
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable (putting emphasis on the first or third syllable), mispronouncing the middle -odg- cluster as a hard 'g' instead of the soft 'j' sound, and slurring the final -ous into a quick -əs. Correct by emphasizing the second syllable: en-DOJ-ə-nəs, using a clear /dʒ/ as in 'judge' for the -dg- sequence, and ending with a precise /nəs/ rather than a loose /nəs/.
Across accents, the main differences lie in the vowel quality of the first syllable and the rhoticity. US tends to reduce the first vowel to a lax /ə/ or /ɪ/ depending on pacing, with a strong /dʒ/ as in 'judge'. UK often maintains a clearer /ɒ/ in the stressed second syllable and a non-rhotic ending, while AU may dip into a slightly broader vowel color in the first syllable and similar non-rhotic tendencies. IPA references align to each variant: US /ˌɛnˈdɒdʒəˌnəs/, UK /ˌɛnˈdɒdʒəˌnəːs/, AU /ˌɛnˈdɒdʒəˌnəs/.
The difficulty comes from the /dʒ/ cluster after the stressed vowel, which can be mispronounced as /d/ or /tʃ/. Additionally, the sequence -odg- with a soft 'j' sound can trip speakers, and the final -ous reduces to /əs/ unless you enunciate the syllables clearly. Practice by isolating the /ˌɛnˈdɒdʒə/ part, ensuring the /dʒ/ sound is a single, voiced affricate, then finish with /nəs/ for a crisp ending.
No, there are no silent letters in endogenous. All letters contribute to the syllables en-do-gen-ous, with each consonant group representing a distinct phoneme: /ˌɛnˈdɒdʒəˌnəs/ in many pronunciations. The challenge is not a silent letter but achieving the correct affricate /dʒ/ and the final unstressed -ous /əs/ or /əs/ reduction depending on the accent.
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Endogenous comes from the Greek endon, meaning 'within,' and gignesthai, meaning 'to be born' or 'to arise.' The term was formed in the 19th century in scientific discourse to describe internal origins or processes. Its semantic field grew to include biology (endogenous substances produced inside the body), chemistry (endogenous reactions within a system), and economics (endogenous factors explained within a model). The morphemes endo- (inside) and -genous (originating, producing) convey a precise internal genesis, distinguishing it from exogenous (outside origin). Early usage appeared in physiologic and embryologic texts as scientists sought to distinguish internal developmental processes from externally driven ones. Over time, endogenous became a standard academic term across disciplines whenever the focus is on internal causation, regulation, or initiation, rather than external input, and remains most common in scientific and technical writing.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Endogenous" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Endogenous"
-ses sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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