3 syllables: Ker, a, tin. Stress on Ker.
KER-uh-tuhn
/ˈkɛɹətən/
Keratin is pronounced KER-uh-tuhn (/ˈkɛɹətən/). It has three syllables (Ker-a-tin), with the stress on "Ker". Keratin is a fibrous structural protein that forms the principal components of hair, nails, and the outer layer of skin. It is produced in specialized epidermal cells and contributes to strength and durability. In biology and cosmetic science contexts, keratin describes both the material itself and products or processes that involve it.
nounKeratin is a fibrous structural protein that forms the principal components of hair, nails, and the outer layer of skin. It is produced in specialized epidermal cells and contributes to strength and durability. In biology and cosmetic science contexts, keratin describes both the material itself and products or processes that involve it.
- You may drop or merge the middle schwa, saying /ˈkɛrtɪn/ or /ˈkærətən/. Correct by clearly articulating the second syllable with a brief /ə/ and the final /tɪn/ chunk. - Some speakers overemphasize the first vowel, producing /ˈkeɪr.ə.tɪn/; keep the first syllable as /ˈkɛr/ or /ˈkeə.rə/ only as your dialect allows, not as a prolonged vowel. - Final nasal is often rushed or omitted; ensure a clean /n/ by finishing with the tip of the tongue at the alveolar ridge and releasing the air softly.
How to Pronounce Keratin
"Her hair treatment aimed to repair damaged keratin."
"The surgeon noted that keratinocytes are essential for skin barrier function."
"Keratin proteins give nails their hardness and resilience."
Pronounce as /ˈkɛr.ə.tɪn/ in many dialects (US). The stress is on the first syllable: KEH-ruh-tin. Lips start rounded slightly for the /ɔ/ or open-mid /ɛ/ depending on accent, with a light schwa /ə/ in the middle, and a short /ɪ/ before the final /n/. In UK English you’ll hear /ˈkeə.rə.tɪn/ with a clearer /eə/ diphthong in the first syllable. Australian often favors /ˈkær.ə.tɪn/ with a flatter vowel in the first syllable. You can listen to native pronunciation on Pronounce or Forvo for reference.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress, saying ker-a-TIN or ke-RA-tin. (2) Slurring the middle syllable and turning /ˈkɛrə/ into a reduced vowel; keep the /ə/ sound clearly. (3) Over-pronouncing the first vowel as /eɪ/ or /iː/ in some dialects. Correction: emphasize the first syllable /ˈkɛr/ with a crisp, clear /ɛ/; insert a brief schwa /ə/ for the second syllable; finish with a short /ɪn/. Practice slow, then speed up while maintaining the rhythm.
US: /ˈkɛr.ə.tɪn/ with rhotic r and a short /e/; UK: /ˈkeə.rə.tɪn/ where the first vowel is a mid/diphthong /eə/ and the r is non-rhotic; AU: /ˈkær.ə.tɪn/ often closer to US but with more flattened /æ/ in the first vowel and a lighter final vowel. Overall, rhoticity and vowel quality shift the first syllable’s vowel and the presence of /r/ in non-rhotic accents affects the feel of the word.
Because it combines a stressed first syllable with a reduced middle vowel and a clear, final consonant cluster; the sequence /ˈkɛr.ə.tɪn/ requires precise timing: a strong onset /k/, a mid vowel /ɛ/ or /eə/, a subtle schwa /ə/ that doesn’t become an extra syllable, then /tɪn/ with a light front vowel and final nasal. Dialect differences can shift the first vowel, and non-rhotic accents may hide the /r/ sound slightly, making the word feel longer or shorter than expected.
Keratin has a straightforward pronunciation with no silent letters. The key is producing the two unstressed vowel sounds accurately and not turning the /t/ into a flap or a released /d/. Focus on ensuring the /ə/ in the second syllable remains brief and not swallowed, and that the final /n/ is a clean nasal without extra vowel after it.
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- US: /ˈkɛr.ə.tɪn/ with rhotic r; practice greeting a friend with a crisp /r/ sound, keeping /ə/ brief. - UK: /ˈkeə.rə.tɪn/ emphasizes the diphthong in the first syllable; work on moving from /eə/ to /ə/ smoothly while keeping the second syllable unstressed. - AU: /ˈkær.ə.tɪn/ tends to a flatter vowel in the first syllable; aim for a shorter /æ/ with a quick transition to /ə/. Reference IPA and mirror mouth shapes; note the non-rhotic tendency in many Australian dialects but keratin often keeps a subtle /r/ in careful speech.
Keratin derives from the Greek kerā, meaning horn, combined with the suffix -in from late Latin keratinus, denoting a protein or substance. The term was adopted into scientific vocabulary in the 19th century as microscopists studied the skin and its appendages. Early descriptions focused on keratin as a structural component of horn-like materials, nails, and hair. By the early 1900s, keratin was recognized as a family of fibrous structural proteins with distinct alpha-helix rich keratins in vertebrate epithelial cells. Throughout the 20th century, advances in biochemistry clarified the polymerized, cross-linked network of keratin filaments and their role in mechanical strength, elasticity, and protective barriers. In cosmetics and dermatology, “keratin treatment” and “keratin protein” products emerged in the late 20th to early 21st century, leveraging keratin’s structural properties for hair smoothing, strengthening, and repair. The word retains its core sense of horn-like, tough protein, while usage has broadened to include synthetic and hydrolyzed keratin formulations.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Keratin" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Keratin"
-tin sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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