4 syllables: Im, bi, bi, tion. Stress on bi.
im-BIB-ish-uhn
/ɪmˈbɪbɪʃən/
Imbibition is pronounced im-BIB-ish-uhn (/ɪmˈbɪbɪʃən/). It has four syllables (Im-bi-bi-tion), with the stress on "bi". Imbibition is the process of absorbing or soaking up a liquid by a porous substance, or more generally, the act of taking in liquids or ideas with full absorption. In science, it refers to the swelling of materials as they absorb moisture. It can also describe the uptake or soaking of fluids by a tissue or sponge, or metaphorically, the intake of knowledge or information.
nounImbibition is the process of absorbing or soaking up a liquid by a porous substance, or more generally, the act of taking in liquids or ideas with full absorption. In science, it refers to the swelling of materials as they absorb moisture. It can also describe the uptake or soaking of fluids by a tissue or sponge, or metaphorically, the intake of knowledge or information.
How to Pronounce Imbibition
"The imbibition of water caused the sponge to expand noticeably."
"In botany, imbibition drives seed germination as dry seeds absorb water."
"The patient’s skin hydration resulted from imbibition of topical fluids."
IM-bi-BI-tion. Primary stress on the third syllable, with three syllables before the -tion ending: /ˌɪm.bɪˈbɪ.ʃən/. In US and UK, the second ‘i’ is stressed relative to the first, and the /b/ sounds are held clearly. Think: im- BI-bi- tion, with a light final schwa in many rapid utterances.
Typical errors include stressing the wrong syllable (e.g., IM-bi-BI-tion) and flattening the middle vowels (e.g., /ˌɪmˈbɪbɪʃən/). Another pitfall is rushing the unstressed syllables and merging /bɪ/ with /bi/ or mispronouncing /tʃ/ as /ʃ/; maintain the /bɪ/ sequence and clearly pronounce the /ʃ/ in -tion as /ʃən/. Practice slowly to lock the correct stress pattern: IM-bih-BIH-tion becomes IM-bih-BIH-tion at pace.
In US, the /ˌɪm.bɪˈbɪ.ʃən/ keeps the second syllable relatively short and the /tʃ/ in -tion is often softened to a /ʃ/ sound before a schwa. UK tends to crisper consonants and a slightly clearer /tʃən/; non-rhotic varieties may link vowels differently in connected speech. Australian English often shows a slightly broader vowel in the first syllables and a more rounded /ɪ/ in the second syllable. Overall, the main stress on the third syllable remains consistent, but rhythm and vowel quality shift subtly by accent.
The difficulty stems from the multisyllabic structure and the placement of stress on the third syllable, combined with the /bɪ/ sequence followed by /ˈbɪ/ and a final /ʃən/ syllable. Learners often misplace stress or blend syllables, making it sound like /ˌɪmˌbiˈbɪʃən/ or /ˌɪmˈbɪbɪˌʃən/. Focusing on articulatory timing—short, crisp /ɪ/ in both the second and third syllables and a distinct /tʃ/ in the final onset—helps maintain clarity.
A key feature is the strong, single primary stress on the third syllable (im-bi-BI-tion), with the initial syllable being light. The sequence /mɪˈbɪ/ is crisp, and the -tion ending produces a /ʃən/ or /tʃən/ depending on speaker and pace. Importantly, the middle vowel pair /ɪ/ and /ɪ/ are both short; avoid introducing a lengthened vowel that would shift the rhythm and obscure the rhythmical pattern of the word.
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Imbibition comes from the late 17th century, deriving from the Latin imbibere, meaning to drink in or pour into. Imbibere itself blends in- (in) with bibere (to drink). The term migrated through scientific usage in the 18th and 19th centuries, where it described the process of liquids being absorbed, especially in porous materials and plant tissues. The word has maintained its core sense of intake or soaking, evolving to cover broader metaphorical uses (as in ideas or knowledge being soaked in by a person). Early English usage often appeared in botanical and chemical texts as a precise description of liquid uptake by solids, with the sense expanding as disciplines like geology, pharmacy, and physiology adopted it. Historically, the concept predated modern pore theory but aligned with observations of seeds swelling when exposed to moisture and sponges expanding under water. First known uses appear in scholarly discussions of plant physiology and material science, with later widespread adoption in biology and physics contexts. In contemporary usage, imbibition remains a standard term in botany, material science, and medical literature, signaling a rapid or sustained intake of liquids into another phase or substrate.
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Words that rhyme with "Imbibition"
-ion sounds
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