4 syllables: Me, ga, lo, don. Stress on lo.
meg-uh-LOH-duhn
/ˌmɛɡəˈloʊdən/
Megalodon is pronounced meg-uh-LOH-duhn (/ˌmɛɡəˈloʊdən/). It has four syllables (Me-ga-lo-don), with the stress on "lo". Megalodon is an extinct species of large-toothed shark that lived millions of years ago. The term combines ancient Greek roots with a modern scientific naming pattern, and it is used mainly in paleontology and popular science contexts. It’s pronounced with three syllables and a stress on the second: meg-a-lo-don.
nounMegalodon is an extinct species of large-toothed shark that lived millions of years ago. The term combines ancient Greek roots with a modern scientific naming pattern, and it is used mainly in paleontology and popular science contexts. It’s pronounced with three syllables and a stress on the second: meg-a-lo-don.
"Scientists estimate Megalodon could reach lengths rivaling modern whales."
"Fossil teeth attributed to Megalodon reveal a formidable predator of ancient oceans."
"Popular media often features Megalodon in documentaries about prehistoric marine life."
Pronounce as /ˌmɛɡəˈlɒdən/ (US/UK) with three syllables: meg-a-LO-don. Primary stress on LO; the middle syllable is typically unstressed and reduced slightly. Start with /m/ then /ɛ/ (as in 'bed'), follow with /ɡ/ and a light /ə/ before /ˈlɒ/ (US/UK) and end with /dən/. In careful enunciation, the final /ən/ is pronounced clearly. For audio, listen to science channels and pronunciation demos on Pronounce or YouGlish.
Two common errors: misplacing the stress (e.g., ME-ga-lo-don or meg-a-LO-dən incorrectly). Another is mispronouncing the middle vowel as /ɒ/ in American English; often people say /ˈmɛɡəloʊdən/ or compress the middle syllable. Correction: keep stress on LO, use /ə/ for the middle vowel, and preserve the short /ɒ/ or /ɒ/ in the final stressed syllable depending on dialect. Practice by saying meg-ə-LO-dən slowly, then speed up.
In US English, the final /dən/ is often reduced to /dən/ with a light schwa; the middle /ə/ is common. In UK English, /ˈlɒdən/ can be closer to /ˈlɒdən/ with a crisp /ɒ/ and less vowel reduction in careful speech. Australian English tends toward broader vowels; /ˈmɛɡəˌlɒdən/ with slight vowel distinction in the middle and a longer second syllable. Across all, the primary stress remains on the third syllable: meg-a-LO-don.
Difficulties arise from three consonant clusters and a multisyllabic rhythm: the /m/ start, the /ɡ/ cluster at syllable 2, and the final /dən/ with a light /n/ ending. The middle /ə/ vowel can be reduced or exaggerated depending on speaker, and the non-phonemic spelling may mislead about syllable boundaries. Practice by isolating syllables: /ˌmɛɡə/ + /ˈlɒdən/ and blending smoothly.
A notable feature is the non-primary stress on the second-to-last syllable, with a clear primary stress on LO: meg-a-LO-don. The vowel in the second syllable is often a reduced schwa; the ending /ən/ is common in English but can be realized as /ən/ or /n/ with a light nasal. Focus on landing LO as the strongest beat, then taper into the final schwa.
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Megalodon derives from the Greek mega- ‘large, great’ and ὀδούς (odous, odont- 'tooth'), with Latinized suffix -don from Greek -dōn meaning ‘tooth’ or ‘toothlike creature.’ The name literally means ‘big tooth.’ The species was first described in the 19th century by German paleontologist Louis Agassiz and later assigned to the genus Carcharocles, reflecting its classification among ancient megatooth sharks. The termMegladon has appeared in various spellings; modern usage standardizes on Megalodon for the extinct genus, with evidence from fossil teeth spanning the Miocene to Pliocene epochs, roughly 23 to 3.6 million years ago. The linguistic development mirrors a trend in paleontology to name giant fossil taxa with the Greek-rooted prefix mega- and odont- root words, creating a memorable, biologically informative label. Early scientific discourse often described the animal by its formidable dentition—large, serrated teeth capable of massive bites—leading to continued use in science communication and popular media alike.
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