5 syllables: in, tra, cel, lu, lar. Stress on cel.
in-trah-SEL-yuh-lur
/ˌɪntɹɑˈsɛljəlɚ/
intracellular is pronounced in-trah-SEL-yuh-lur (/ˌɪntɹɑˈsɛljəlɚ/). It has five syllables (in-tra-cel-lu-lar), with the stress on "cel". Intracellular refers to processes, structures, or locations inside a cell, as opposed to extracellular. It is used to describe events that occur within the inner cellular environment, such as intracellular signaling or intracellular transport. The term is common in biology, medicine, and biochemistry, and implies activity confined to the cytoplasm or organelles—all within the cell membrane.
Intracellular refers to processes, structures, or locations inside a cell, as opposed to extracellular. It is used to describe events that occur within the inner cellular environment, such as intracellular signaling or intracellular transport. The term is common in biology, medicine, and biochemistry, and implies activity confined to the cytoplasm or organelles—all within the cell membrane.
Correction tips: • Break it into syllables: in-trə-SELL-yə-lər; articulate each segment before running at normal speed. • Use minimal pairs: sell vs cell to anchor the central syllable, then blend with '-yə-lər' endings. • Record yourself; compare with a trusted pronunciation source and adjust the rhythm to keep the primary stress on /ˈsɛl/.
"Intracellular bacteria are those that invade and reside within host cells."
"Researchers study intracellular signaling pathways to understand how cells respond to external stimuli."
"The anticancer drug blocks intracellular targets, preventing tumor growth."
Pronounce it as /ˌɪn.trəˈsɛl.jə.lər/. Start with stress on the third syllable: in-truh-SEHL-yuh-luhr. The second syllable uses a schwa, and the final -lar is pronounced with a light, unstressed schwa before a rhotic or an 'er' ending in many accents. Audio reference: many science diction guides and dictionaries provide this exact IPA; listen for the strong peak on the CEL syllable and a rounded, tense vowel in that syllable. Practice saying it slowly: in-truh-SEHL-yuh-lər, then speed up while maintaining clear /s/ and /l/ sounds.
Two frequent errors: rushing the sequence so the 'cel' consonant cluster blends with 'lar' producing 'intracell-ur' or 'intracellor' with an unstressed final syllable. Another is misplacing the primary stress, saying in-TRUH-sell-yuh-lar. Correction tips: keep the primary stress on the /sɛl/ syllable (/ˈsɛl/), enunciate the /j/ in the 'jə' portion clearly, and voice the final -ler as a light, rhotic ending. Break it into syllables: in-trə-SELL-yə-lər; practice with slow, measured pronunciation and then blend.
US: /ˌɪn.trəˈsɛl.jə.lər/ with rhotic final /-lər/. UK: /ˌɪn.trəˈsel.jə.lə/ where final syllable is non-rhotic and the last 'r' is often silent. Australia: /ˌɪn.trəˈsel.jə.lə/ similar to UK but with Australian vowel qualities; you may hear a slightly broader /æ/ in certain speakers and a less pronounced final /ə/ or /ə/. Across accents, the stern stress on /ˈsɛl/ remains stable, but rhoticity shifts the final consonant quality; practice with minimal pairs to hear the differences.
Key challenges include the multisyllabic load and the cluster of consonants around 'cell' and 'lar', the 'trə' schwa-vowel transition, and the rapid sequence /ˌɪn.trəˈsɛl.jə.lər/ in scientific speech. The 's' + 'el' blends, the 'j' sound in 'jə', and the final 'lər' rhotic consonant can trip non-native speakers. Overcome by practicing slow, phoneme-level drills, emphasizing the central syllable, and recording for accuracy feedback.
The unique feature is the tri-syllabic center around 'cell' with a crisp /s ɛl/ and a clearly enunciated 'jə' after it. The primary stress sits on the 'cel' portion, which is often the hardest to hold in fast speech. Also, the final '-lar' introduces a rhotic element in American English that can be dropped in non-rhotic varieties. Understanding the exact IPA helps you feel where to place the jaw and tongue for each segment.
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Intracellular is formed from the Latin prefix intra- meaning 'within' and the combining form -cellular from the Latin cellula, meaning 'a small cell' or 'cell-like compartment.' The term arose in the 19th and 20th centuries with advances in cell theory and cytology, when scientists began to distinguish processes occurring inside cells from those outside or at the cell membrane. intra- (within) + cellular (pertaining to a cell) emphasizes location inside the cell rather than at the cell boundary. The first known uses appear in biological texts that describe intracellular components, such as intracellular organelles and intracellular signaling, as research moved from anatomy to cellular physiology. Over time, intracellular became a standard adjectival label in biochemistry and cell biology to specify reactions, transport, and signaling that take place within the cellular interior. Modern usage includes intracellular pathogens, transport, enzymes, and messengers, often qualifying 'inside the cell' with subdomains like cytoplasmic or organellar to reflect specific internal locales. The term's evolution mirrors the growing resolution of microscopy and the compartmentalization concept central to cell biology.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "intracellular" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "intracellular"
-lar sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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