3 syllables: Ho, lo, thure. Stress on thure.
hoh-loh-THURR
/hoʊloˈθɜɹ/
Holothure is pronounced hoh-loh-THURR (/hoʊloˈθɜɹ/). It has three syllables (Ho-lo-thure), with the stress on "thure". Holothure is a noun in biology referring to a genus of sea cucumbers. In formal texts it designates a taxonomic category within Echinodermata, typically used in scientific descriptions and classifications. The term is specialized, often encountered in academic literature or field guides discussing echinoderms.
nounHolothure is a noun in biology referring to a genus of sea cucumbers. In formal texts it designates a taxonomic category within Echinodermata, typically used in scientific descriptions and classifications. The term is specialized, often encountered in academic literature or field guides discussing echinoderms.
"Researchers collected holothures from the reef to study their regenerative properties."
"The holothure genus includes species with tubular tentacles and leathery skin."
"In the aquarium, holothures help clean debris by scavenging small organisms."
Pronounce it ho-LO-thure. The primary stress falls on the second syllable: /ˌhoʊˈləˌθjʊər/ (US) or /ˌhɒləˈθʊər/ (UK/AU). Start with a clear /h/ breath, then /oʊ/ as in 'go', followed by a light /lə/ and finally /θjʊər/ as in 'thure' with a soft 'th' (voiceless) blended to a near-schwa and a long /ɜr/ type ending in some accents. If you’re listening, you’ll hear a gentle secondary beat on the second syllable. For audio reference, compare to scientific pronunciations in field guides or dictionary audio labeled holothure.
Common mistakes include stressing the wrong syllable (putting primary stress on 'ho' instead of 'lo'), mispronouncing the ‘th’ as a hard /t/ or /d/ sound, and trailing the final /ər/ as a short /ər/ instead of the longer /jʊər/ sequence. Correct by emphasizing the /ˈloʊ/ or /ˈlə/ portion, ensuring the /θ/ is voiceless and soft, and allowing the final /jʊər/ glide to reach a rounded, extended vowel. Practice with minimal pairs and slow rhythm to lock the sequence.
In US speech you’ll hear a clearer /ˈhoʊloʊˌθjʊr/ with a pronounced /θ/. UK and AU typically reduce the final r in non-rhotic contexts, delivering /ˌhɒləˈθjʊə/ and /ˌhɒləˈθjəː/ respectively, with a shorter or silent r. The middle vowel can shift toward /ə/ in some British varieties. Rhotic US keeps the final /r/; non-rhotic UK/AU may drop or vocalize it differently depending on the environment. Listen for the dental fricative /θ/ and the /j/ glide before the final /ər/ or /ə/.
Difficulties stem from the rare combination of a dental fricative /θ/, a three-syllable stress pattern with secondary stress, and an unfamiliar ending sequence /θjʊər/ that blends a dental fricative with a velarized vowel. The inter-syllable transitions require precise tongue positioning: front teeth close for /θ/, then a rounded /o/ or /ə/ before the /l/ and the /j/ glide. Mastery hinges on practicing the dental friction sound and the seamless /θj/ cluster.
A unique aspect is the placement of primary stress on the second syllable (lo-), coupled with the /θj/ cluster at the end. You’ll notice a subtle blend where the /θ/ and /j/ share a rapid mouth movement into a rounded vowel, creating a smooth transition rather than a hard break. Focus on keeping the /θ/ voiceless and maintaining a clean glide into /j/ before the final vowel.
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Holothure derives from Greek roots: ‘holos’ meaning whole or entire, and ‘thoura’ meaning wound or puncture, but in taxonomy it maps to the group Holothuroidea. The term entered English scientific usage as taxonomic nomenclature for the sea cucumbers, a member of the class Holothuroidea within Echinodermata. The name reflects the organism’s elongated, tubular body plan and its primitive, tube-like tentacles, historically described by early naturalists. First used in formal taxonomy during the 18th–19th centuries as European scientists systematized marine invertebrates, the term gradually stabilized to denote the holothurians as a distinct echinoderm lineage. In modern scientific literature, holothure remains a precise, archaic-but-still-used form, with “holothurian” often used interchangeably in non-peer contexts. The word’s etymology underscores its Greek-derived roots and its place within historical taxonomic debates about echinoderm morphology, particularly before genetic methods clarified relationships among echinoderm groups.
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Words that rhyme with "Holothure"
-ure sounds
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