2 syllables: ma, ting. Stress on ma.
MAY-ting
/ˈmeɪtɪŋ/
mating is pronounced MAY-ting (/ˈmeɪtɪŋ/). It has two syllables (ma-ting), with the stress on "ma". Mating refers to the pairing of individuals for reproduction, or more broadly to the act of joining or pairing in social or natural contexts. It covers biological mating between organisms and human social mating, including dating or forming partnerships. The term emphasizes the initiation of a reproductive or relational alliance and is used across scientific, behavioral, and everyday language. In many contexts it also implies a temporary or strategic pairing rather than a permanent bond.
Mating refers to the pairing of individuals for reproduction, or more broadly to the act of joining or pairing in social or natural contexts. It covers biological mating between organisms and human social mating, including dating or forming partnerships. The term emphasizes the initiation of a reproductive or relational alliance and is used across scientific, behavioral, and everyday language. In many contexts it also implies a temporary or strategic pairing rather than a permanent bond.
"The mating season for many birds is triggered by changes in daylight."
"Researchers studied the mating rituals of the frogs in the wetlands."
"She joked about online dating as her modern mating approach."
Pronounce as /ˈmeɪtɪŋ/. The primary stress is on the first syllable 'mating' (MEɪ-). Start with the long A diphthong /eɪ/, then a light /t/ and the final -ing /ɪŋ/. Mouth posture: jaw drops slightly after the /eɪ/ diphthong, tip of the tongue behind the upper teeth for the /t/, then the velar nasal /ŋ/ with the back of the tongue rising toward the soft palate. For audio reference, listen to native samples on Forvo or YouGlish under 'mating'.
Two common errors: (1) replacing /t/ with a glottal stop or flap, especially when linking to a following word; (2) pronouncing the final /ŋ/ as /ŋk/ or /n/ in rapid speech. Correction: keep a clear /t/ release before the /ɪŋ/ and finish with a clean velar nasal /ŋ/ by raising the back of the tongue to the soft palate while keeping the jaw relaxed. Practice slow, then speed up while maintaining the /ɪŋ/.
US/UK/AU share /ˈmeɪtɪŋ/ but rhoticity matters: US typically rhotic in connected speech, UK may have a slightly tighter /eɪ/ in some vowels and a slower /t/ release in rapid speech; AU tends toward broader, slightly flatter /eɪ/ and a softer /t/ in some regions. Overall vowel quality remains /eɪ/ followed by /t/ and /ɪŋ/, with minor regional vowel shifts and timing differences.
The difficulty lies in maintaining a crisp /t/ tap or release before the /ɪŋ/, avoiding a flapped or elided consonant in connected speech, and keeping the /eɪ/ diphthong precise without turning it into a monophthong. For non-native speakers, coarticulation with surrounding sounds can blur the /eɪ/ and mask the /t/; focus on isolating each segment before practicing in phrases.
A unique aspect is sustaining the /eɪ/ diphthong clearly before the /t/ release, then sealing with a crisp /t/ and an audible but not hard /ɪŋ/. Many learners over-aspirate the /t/ or merge the /t/ and /ɪŋ/. Focus on a short, gentle /t/ and a strong nasal /ŋ/ to maintain the word’s crisp end, especially in careful or formal speech.
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- US: pronounce /ˈmeɪtɪŋ/ with a clearly enunciated /eɪ/ and a crisp /t/; final /ɪŋ/ is reduced slightly in fast speech but should remain nasal. - UK: you may hear a slightly tighter /eɪ/ and less vowel length variation; the /t/ can be pronounced with a small alveolar tap in some dialects. - AU: vowels can be broader; the /t/ may become a softer alveolar stop or even a flap in informal speech; keep the /ɪŋ/ intact for clarity.
The word mating comes from Old English matian, related to matian ‘to mate, pair, join,’ from Proto-Germanic *matijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *med- ‘to measure, to mix?’, though the precise PIE root is debated. By Middle English, mating appeared in the sense of forming a pair, especially in animal contexts. The term evolved to cover human relational pairing and social contexts, extending beyond purely reproductive meaning as science and psychology broadened the scope of mating behaviors. First known use in English literature dates to the 13th-14th centuries in animal behavior descriptions, with human social usage rising in the 19th and 20th centuries as dating and mating narratives entered popular discourse. The concept has since expanded into behavioral ecology, anthropology, and sociology, where it is used to describe mating systems, courtship, and mate selection strategies across species and cultures.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "mating" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "mating"
-ing sounds
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