2 syllables: fruc, tose. Stress on fruc.
FRUHK-tohs
/ˈfɹʌˌktoʊs/
fructose is pronounced FRUHK-tohs (/ˈfɹʌˌktoʊs/). It has two syllables (fruc-tose), with the stress on "fruc". Fructose is a monosaccharide fruit sugar, found naturally in many plants. It’s one of the simplest forms of carbohydrate, typically sweeter than glucose. In nutrition and biochemistry, fructose is often discussed in the context of fruit syrups, honey, and high-fructose sweeteners, with attention to its metabolic effects and sweetness profile.
Fructose is a monosaccharide fruit sugar, found naturally in many plants. It’s one of the simplest forms of carbohydrate, typically sweeter than glucose. In nutrition and biochemistry, fructose is often discussed in the context of fruit syrups, honey, and high-fructose sweeteners, with attention to its metabolic effects and sweetness profile.
Corrections: practice with slow tempo, then add speed while maintaining the diphthong. Use targeted repetition: /ˈfrʌkˌtoʊs/ (US) or /ˈfrʌk.təʊz/ (UK/AU), tap the second vowel with your lips slightly rounded before the final /s/. Record and compare to native samples to calibrate duration and resonance.
"Fructose is the sweetest natural sugar and is abundant in apples and honey."
"Industrial processes convert corn starch into high-fructose corn syrup used in many beverages."
"Fructose metabolism differs from glucose, impacting how the body handles sugar."
- Pronunciation: /ˈfrʌkˌtoʊs/ (US) or /ˈfrʌk.təʊz/ (UK/AU). Stress falls on the first syllable, with a secondary emphasis that can appear on the second depending on speed. The first vowel is a short, lax ‘uh’ as in 'strut,' the second syllable has a clear ‘toʊ’ (US) or ‘təʊ’ (UK/AU) diphthong before the final ‘s’ or ‘z’ sound. Mouth position: lips relaxed, jaw slightly dropped, tongue in a mid-central position for the first vowel, then a high back rounded diphthong for the second. IPA cues: US /ˈfrʌkˌtoʊs/, UK/AU /ˈfrʌk.təʊz/. Audio reference: consult Cambridge or Oxford audio dictionaries for native speaker samples.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress on the second syllable; it’s primarily stressed on the first. (2) Slurring the second syllable into a quick ‘tos’ instead of a clear ‘toʊs’ or ‘təʊz.’ (3) Substituting a long ‘oo’ or ‘uh’ in the second vowel. Correction: practice /ˈfrʌkˌtoʊs/ (US) or /ˈfrʌk.təʊz/ (UK/AU) with a deliberate mid-to-high back rounded second vowel, and maintain a crisp final s/z. Use minimal pairs like ‘fructose/fruit’ to anchor the rhythm; record yourself and compare to native samples.
Across accents, the first syllable remains 'frʌk' with short ‘u,’ but the second syllable changes: US typically uses a clear /toʊ/ (long o) and final /s/, UK/AU often use /təʊ/ (more centralized, closer to 'toe') plus /z/ depending on voicing, with non-rhotic tendencies in some representations. Rhoticity can influence the r-coloring in connected speech, but 'fructose' itself is not strongly rhotic. Listening to regional dictionaries will reveal subtle vowel height and length differences; practice with US vs UK pronunciation guides to tune your ear.
The difficulty lies in the second syllable’s vowel quality and duration, which switch from /toʊ/ (US) to /təʊ/ (UK/AU), creating a diphthong that blends with a voiceless final /s/ or voiced /z/. The first syllable’s short vowel /ʌ/ can be mispronounced as /ɜː/ or /ɪ/. Additionally, the consonant cluster ‘cr’ followed by ‘t’ requires precise tongue placement to avoid an unintended ‘frict’ sound. Focusing on the transition between /k/ and the high/back vowel of the second syllable helps stabilize the word.
Fructose has no silent letters; its challenge is the stress pattern and vowel quality in the second syllable. The correct pattern is primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈfrʌkˌtoʊs/ (US) or /ˈfrʌk.təʊz/ (UK/AU). The vowel in the second syllable is a tense or lax diphthong depending on dialect. Maintain a clear boundary between /k/ and the rounded vowel of the second syllable, and ensure the final /s/ is crisp rather than devoiced in rapid speech.
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Fructose originates from the Latin fructus meaning ‘fruit’ and from the chemical suffix -ose used for sugars. The term was adopted in the 19th century as chemists formalized the study of monosaccharides. Its recognition followed advances in carbohydrate chemistry, where researchers distinguished hexose sugars by their sweet taste and structural formulas. The root fruct- reflects its natural abundance in fruit, and the -ose suffix denotes a sugar. Early researchers identified fructose in fruit syrups and honey long before the advent of modern food science. The first known use in English literature appeared in the late 19th century, in chemical contexts describing sweet-tounding hexoses. Since then, fructose has become central in discussions of dietary sugar, metabolism, and industrial sweeteners, with evolving understanding of its physiological and nutritional roles.
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Help others use "fructose" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "fructose" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "fructose" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "fructose"
-ose sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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