4 syllables: Ma, cro, phag, es. Stress on Ma.
MAK-roh-fay-jiz
/ˈmækɹoʊˌfeɪdʒɪz/
Macrophages is pronounced MAK-roh-fay-jiz (/ˈmækɹoʊˌfeɪdʒɪz/). It has four syllables (Ma-cro-phag-es), with the stress on "Ma". Macrophages are large immune cells that engulf and digest cellular debris, foreign invaders, and dead cells. They play a crucial role in the immune response by presenting antigens and signaling other immune components. This term combines the Greek roots for ‘large’ (macro) and ‘eaters’ (phages).
nounMacrophages are large immune cells that engulf and digest cellular debris, foreign invaders, and dead cells. They play a crucial role in the immune response by presenting antigens and signaling other immune components. This term combines the Greek roots for ‘large’ (macro) and ‘eaters’ (phages).
How to Pronounce Macrophages
"Researchers stained macrophages to observe phagocytic activity in the tissue sample."
"Macrophages are recruited to sites of infection during inflammation."
"The study compared macrophage phenotypes in healthy versus diseased tissue."
Pronounce as /ˌmækrəˈfeɪdʒɪz/. The primary stress is on the third syllable ‘FEI’ (feɪ), with the suffix -phages sounding like -fay-jiz. Start with /ˌmæ/, then /kro/ as a quick, rounded k- and r- cluster, then /ˈfeɪ/ and finish with /dʒɪz/. Audio reference: (listen for the / feɪ/ vowel and the /dʒ/ sound before /ɪz/).
Common mistakes: misplacing stress (putting emphasis on -phages), mispronouncing the /æ/ as a long /eɪ/ or /eɪdʒ/, and swallowing the /dʒ/ or making it /z/. Correct by stressing /ˈfeɪ/ in the third syllable, using a clean /dʒ/ as in 'judge,' and keeping the final /ɪz/ clear. Practice with the sequence /mæ-kro-ˈfeɪ-dʒɪz/.
US: /ˌmækrəˈfeɪdʒɪz/ with rhotic r and clear /ɡ/ before /ɪ/. UK: /ˌmækrəˈfeɪdʒɪz/ similar, but non-rhoticity affects linking and vowel length in some speakers. AU: /ˌmækrəˈfeɪdʒɪz/ often with tighter tongue and slightly higher vowels; stress pattern remains the same. All share /feɪ/ as the stressed syllable and /dʒ/ before /ɪz/.
Three main challenges: the multi-syllabic length, the /æ/ vs /eɪ/ ambiguity in the initial syllable, and the /dʒ/ sound before the final /ɪz/. The middle /kro/ cluster can blur. To master: slow the pace, emphasize /ˈfeɪ/, and practice the /dʒ/ as a single voiced palato-alveolar affricate. IPA cues: /ˌmæ.krəˈfeɪ.dʒɪz/.
The unique feature is the /æ/ to /ə/ transition in the first syllable under faster speech and the precise /dʒ/ onset in the final syllable. You’ll hear a light schwa in fast connected speech for the second syllable /mə/; maintain a crisp /feɪ/ stress. IPA reminder: /ˌmæ.krəˈfeɪ.dʒɪz/.
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- US: rhotic, with slightly tighter /ɚ/ coloring in unstressed syllables; emphasize /æ/ then /kro/ quickly leading to /ˈfeɪ/. - UK: non-rhotic tendency; ensure /r/ is silent in non-stressed position; keep /feɪ/ strong. - AU: similar to US but with vowel quality leaning toward a centralized /ə/ in unstressed positions; maintain /dʒɪz/ clearly. IPA anchors: US /ˌmæ.krəˈfeɪ.dʒɪz/, UK /ˌmæ.krəˈfeɪ.dʒɪz/, AU /ˌmæ.krəˈfeɪ.dʒɪz/.
Macrophages derives from the Greek macro- ‘large’ + -phage (‘eater’) with the Anglo-French and Latin-influenced morphology of cells that engulf. The term entered English scientific vocabulary in the late 19th to early 20th century as microscopic techniques revealed specialized phagocytic cells beyond the earlier “phagocytes.” The prefix macro- signals large size relative to other phagocytic cells, while -phage is used in biology to denote eating or digesting. Historically, macrophages were first distinguished as distinct phagocytic cells within reticuloendothelial systems, later clarified as tissue-resident macrophages (microglia, Kupffer cells, alveolar macrophages) and infiltrating monocyte-derived macrophages. The word’s first widely cited usage appears in immunology literature around the 1890s–1910s, with refinement as macrophage biology advanced through mid-20th century explorations of phagocytosis, antigen presentation, and macrophage polarization. Today, macrophages are essential in host defense, tissue remodeling, and inflammatory regulation, and the term remains standard across histology, pathology, and immunology.
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Words that rhyme with "Macrophages"
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