2 syllables: Lac, tose. Stress on Lac.
LAK-tohs
/ˈlæktoʊs/
Lactose is pronounced LAK-tohs (/ˈlæktoʊs/). It has two syllables (Lac-tose), with the stress on "Lac". Lactose is a disaccharide sugar found in milk, composed of glucose and galactose. It is a key dietary carbohydrate, digested by the enzyme lactase in the small intestine. In nutrition, lactose content affects lactose tolerance and dairy product processing.
nounLactose is a disaccharide sugar found in milk, composed of glucose and galactose. It is a key dietary carbohydrate, digested by the enzyme lactase in the small intestine. In nutrition, lactose content affects lactose tolerance and dairy product processing.
- You often skip crisp /t/ release between syllables, sounding like /ˈlæk.toʊs/ without the second syllable boundary. Fix: pause slightly after /t/ for a moment of clarity, then glide into /oʊ/. - The second syllable vowel is mispronounced as a short /ɪ/ or /æ/; aim for the long diphthong /oʊ/ (US) or /əʊ/ (UK/AU). Practice with a mirror and slow tempo. - Final /s/ is whispered or merged with the preceding vowel; keep a voiceless /s/ clearly articulated. Practice with a word-final /s/ drill.
How to Pronounce Lactose
"- Lactose intolerance means some people have difficulty digesting dairy."
"- The label lists lactose as a carbohydrate in the nutrition facts."
"- Some cheeses have very little lactose after aging."
You say /ˈlækˌtoʊs/ in US English or /ˈlæk.təʊs/ in UK/AU. The primary stress is on the first syllable, with a secondary emphasis on the second syllable in careful speech: LAC-tose. Start with the open front lax /æ/ in 'lac,' then the /t/ release before the long /oʊ/ in the US version or /əʊ/ in UK/AU. Tip: avoid conflating it with 'lactate'; keep the /k/ and /t/ distinct. For quick reference, say “LACK-TOSE.”
Common errors include merging /t/ and /oʊ/ into a quick /toʊ/ chunk, producing /ˈlæk.tɚs/ or /ˈlæk.tos/ without the clear second syllable vowel. Another pitfall is reducing the second vowel to a schwa in careful speech, yielding /ˈlæk.təs/. To correct: clearly articulate /toʊ/ (US) or /təʊ/ (UK/AU) with a brief, explicit /t/ release, and stress the first syllable. Practice slow, then normalize speed while keeping the /t/ crisp and the final /s/ voiceless.
In US English, /ˈlækˌtoʊs/ with a pronounced /oʊ/ and light secondary stress. In UK/AU, /ˈlæk.təʊs/ has a clear /əʊ/ diphthong in the second syllable and a slightly less rhotic feel, with the first syllable kept crisp /læk/. The final /s/ remains voiceless. US tends to fuse /ˌtoʊ/; UK/AU separate the syllables more evenly. Practicing side-by-side can reveal the subtle vowel quality differences in the second syllable and rhoticity nuances.
The challenge lies in the two-syllable structure with a stressed first syllable and a diphthong in the second syllable, which creates tension between a crisp /t/ and a long /oʊ/ (US) or /əʊ/ (UK/AU). Beginners often gloss over the /t/ or merge vowel sounds. Additionally, the nasal + stop boundary can blur in rapid speech. Focus on a clean /t/ release and a distinct, elongated second vowel while maintaining the initial stress.
Lactose has a pronounced /t/ and a clear final /s/; there are no silent letters. The unique feature is the collision between the /t/ and the following diphthong, which can tempt a quick release into /tos/ or /təs/. The key is to hold a crisp /t/ before sliding into the second syllable’s long vowel, not letting the tongue drop too soon. IPA references: US /ˈlækˌtoʊs/; UK/AU /ˈlæk.təʊs/.
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- US: emphasize rhoticity in connected speech when describing products (e.g., lactose-containing). The second syllable uses a strong /oʊ/; keep the tongue high and back for the diphthong. - UK: the second syllable uses /əʊ/; keep the schwa-like first vowel in the second syllable light, not reduced to /ɒ/. - AU: similar to UK; often less rhotic than US; ensure the /r/ is not pronounced, and the /t/ remains tap-like in fast speech. IPA references: US /ˈlækˌtoʊs/, UK/AU /ˈlæk.təʊs/.
Lactose comes from the Latin lac, lact-, meaning milk, and the Greek suffix -ose, used to form names of sugars. The earliest English usage appears in the 17th century, adopted from scientific Latin lactose to denote the milk sugar found in mammalian milk. Its construction mirrors other disaccharides like sucrose (table sugar) and glucose (dextrose), reflecting a chemical naming convention that links the substance to milk (lac, lact-). Over time, lactose has become a standard term in nutrition science, biochemistry, and dairy technology, used to describe the sugar’s role in digestion, fermentation, and dairy processing. The term also appears in product labeling and dietary guidelines, with evolving understanding of lactose intolerance and lactase persistence in human populations.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Lactose" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Lactose"
-ast sounds
-ost sounds
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