2 syllables: ex, on. Stress on on.
ek-SAWN
/ˌɛˈksɔn/
exon is pronounced ek-SAWN (/ˌɛˈksɔn/). It has two syllables (ex-on), with the stress on "on". Exon is a segment of a gene that codes for a portion of a protein after transcription, typically interspersed with introns in the gene sequence. It is a functional coding unit that remains in mature mRNA after splicing. In genomics, exons define the parts that ultimately determine amino acid sequence and protein structure.
Exon is a segment of a gene that codes for a portion of a protein after transcription, typically interspersed with introns in the gene sequence. It is a functional coding unit that remains in mature mRNA after splicing. In genomics, exons define the parts that ultimately determine amino acid sequence and protein structure.
- You may tilt toward a long vowel in the first syllable (e.g., /iː/ or /i/) instead of the correct short /ɛ/. Aim for a crisp /ˈɛk/ rather than extended vowels. - The second syllable often gets a too-drawn vowel; keep it short and unstressed like /sɒn/ or /sən/ depending on dialect. - Some speakers English-ify the second syllable to resemble ‘axon’; learn to keep the /k/ + /s/ cluster clean and not blend the vowel with the /n/. Correction tips: practice concise first syllable, then a quick, small second vowel and /n/. Practice with minimal pairs: exon vs axon; record and compare. - Ensure final /n/ is clearly released; avoid nasal blending with preceding vowel too long. - Don’t skip the first syllable stress; maintain stress on EX- to preserve intelligibility in technical contexts.
"The exon structure of the gene was mapped to understand its expression pattern."
"Mutations in the exon can alter the resulting protein's function."
"Researchers compared exon usage across different tissues to identify regulatory mechanisms."
US/UK pronunciation is /ˈɛk.sɒn/. Place primary stress on the first syllable: EX-on. Start with a short, open front vowel in the first syllable, then a short /ɒ/ as in 'lot' for many dialects outside the US, followed by an /n/. In listening, you’ll hear a crisp, two-syllable rhythm with minimal vowel reduction. Compare to 'axon' (/ˈæk.sɒn/) where the first vowel is more open; in some contexts ‘exon’ can sound very close to ‘axon’ for non-native listeners; focus on the short, clipped second syllable. Audio references: standard dictionaries or pronouncing tools can give you the exact US/UK variants.
Common pitfalls: (1) Substituting /ɪ/ or /iː/ for the first vowel; use /ˈɛk/ as in ‘bed’ rather than /ɪk/. (2) Overpronouncing the second syllable; keep it short and unstressed: /ˈɛk.sɒn/. (3) Confusing with ‘axon’ by muting the first syllable; ensure primary stress remains on the first syllable. Tip: practice with minimal pairs: exon vs axon; reflect the two-syllable rhythm with a distinct first vowel and a short /ɒ/ in US and UK varieties.
In US English, /ˈɛk.sɒn/ with non-rhoticity in some regions or rhoticity depending on dialect, but generally the first syllable uses a short /ɛ/ and the second syllable uses /ɒ/ or a closer /ɒ̈/ in some American dialects. UK English typically uses /ˈek.sɒn/ with clear /ɒ/ and non-rhotic tendencies; AU English resembles UK in many contexts but can show vowel height variation and final /n/ clarity. Across all, stress remains on the first syllable; the key differences lie in vowel quality and the degree of r-coloring before the final /n/. IPA references: US /ˈɛk.sɒn/, UK /ˈɛk.sɒn/, AU /ˈeːk.sɒn/ depending on speaker.
The difficulty centers on two points: the mid-low front vowel in the first syllable and the short, rounded back vowel in the second syllable, which can be approximated differently across dialects. Plosive coherence between /k/ and /s/ in the coda can also be challenging for non-native speakers. The two-syllable rhythm requires a crisp, brief second syllable without vowel elongation. Practice with minimal pairs like exon/axon to stabilize the first vowel and deliver a clean /sɒn/ or /sɔn/ depending on the speaker’s accent.
In many accents, the second syllable ends with a final /n/ preceded by a short vowel, commonly realized as /ɒn/ (UK/US tendencies) or /ɔn/ in some Australian speech. Some American speakers may have a slightly rounded or lax vowel before /n/, making it sound closer to /ɒn/ or /ɔn/, but it is not typically silent or drastically different. The critical point is that the second syllable remains unstressed and short; keep it compact: /ˈɛk.sən/ in some US varieties where the second vowel reduces toward a schwa in casual speech, though this is less standard for careful pronunciation.
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- US: /ˈɛk.sɒn/ with a slightly rounded /ɒ/ in some speakers; ensure the first vowel is a careful /ɛ/ like in 'bed'. - UK: /ˈek.sɒn/ with crisp /k/ and /s/ transitions; /ɒ/ is a rounded open back vowel. - AU: /ˈek.sɒn/ or /ˈɛk.sən/ with slight vowel height variation; more likely to reduce to /ˈeːk.sən/ in rapid speech; focus on /ə/ or /ɪ/ reductions in casual speech but be precise in careful speech. Common pitfalls: over-lengthening the second vowel; neglecting the final /n/, especially in connected speech. Practice with IPA cues and mouth shapes: lips rounded for /ɒ/; jaw relaxed; tip of tongue lightly behind the lower teeth for /ɡ/? (ignore). Use audio references for precise vowels.
The term exon originates from the combination of 'ex-' meaning 'out of' or 'outside' and 'on' from the Greek ‘ons’ meaning ‘being’ in the sense of a segment that remains as part of the mature RNA. The concept emerged in the mid-20th century during foundational work on gene organization and RNA splicing. Early geneticists recognized that genes contain noncoding introns and coding exons; exons are retained in the final mature mRNA. The word gained precise biological definition as molecular biology developed, with first uses appearing in scientific literature around the 1970s as the exon–intron concept became central to understanding gene expression, alternative splicing, and protein diversity. The term is now ubiquitous in genomics, bioinformatics, and medical genetics, often contrasted with intron and noncoding regions, and it underpins discussions of exon skipping therapies and mRNA-based research.
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Words that rhyme with "exon"
-xon sounds
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