3 syllables: Me, me, tics. Stress on me.
mee-MET-iks
/miːˈmɛtɪks/
Memetics is pronounced mee-MET-iks (/miːˈmɛtɪks/). It has three syllables (Me-me-tics), with the stress on "me". Memetics is a field that studies how ideas, behaviors, and cultural phenomena spread and evolve as if they were genes, subject to selection and replication. It investigates meme transmission, replication fidelity, and how ideas gain popularity. The term combines memory and genetics to describe the cultural evolution of ideas.
nounMemetics is a field that studies how ideas, behaviors, and cultural phenomena spread and evolve as if they were genes, subject to selection and replication. It investigates meme transmission, replication fidelity, and how ideas gain popularity. The term combines memory and genetics to describe the cultural evolution of ideas.
"Scientists debate memetics as a framework for cultural evolution and information transfer."
"In online communities, memes spread rapidly, illustrating memetics in action."
"Scholars examine memes’ replication dynamics to understand why some ideas go viral."
Memetics is pronounced muh-MET-icks, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: /məˈmɛtɪks/. Start with a schwa to m, then the stressed 'met' with a short e as in 'bet', and finish with a soft 'icks' /ɪks/. You’ll want crisp /m/ + /ɛ/ + /t/ + /ɪ/ + /ks/; avoid turning the e into a long vowel. You can listen to native pronunciation via Pronounce or Forvo for exact vowel quality.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress (stressing the first syllable as ‘ME-meh-tiks’). (2) Slurring the middle vowel, saying /ˈmɛtɪks/ without the initial schwa or mispronouncing /m/ and /t/. (3) Vowel quality masking: using a muted /e/ as in ‘met’ instead of the short /ɛ/; keep the /ɛ/ clear. Correction tips: practice with a slow syllable: /mə-ˈmɛ-tɪks/, exaggerate the second syllable, then taper. Use minimal pairs to contrast /ə/ vs /ɛ/ in the first two vowels.
US tends to reduce the first vowel to a weak schwa /məˈmɛtɪks/ with rhoticity not changing the word itself. UK retains /məˈmetɪks/ with a slightly tighter /e/ in the second syllable; the main stress remains on the second syllable. Australian tends to maintain /məˈmɛtɪks/ but with a broader diphthong in /ə/ and a more clipped final /ɪks/. In all, the /m/ and /t/ are clear; the primary variation is the first vowel: /ə/ vs /e/ and the quality of /ɪ/ before /ks/.
The difficulty lies in the sequence /mə-ˈmɛ-tɪks/, where the schwa leading syllable often reduces in rapid speech, and the stressed /ɛ/ can blend with adjacent consonants if you’re not keeping the mouth open. The final /ɪks/ requires a short, lax vowel before /ks/, which some speakers shorten. Focus on retaining the clear /m/ start, a crisp /t/ and a distinct /ɪ/ before /ks/; slowing down in practice helps.
A key tip is to segment and rehearse as /mə-ˈmɛ-tɪks/ with a light pause between the first and second syllable to prevent metathesis. Visualize the mouth: lips for /m/, jaw for /ɛ/ open mid-low, tongue for /t/ just behind the upper teeth, then a quick /ɪ/ before /ks/. Recording yourself and comparing to a native pronunciation will help you notice if you’re collapsing /ə/ into /ɪ/ or blending /t/ and /ɪ/ too much.
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Memetics derives from the word meme, coined by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins in 1976. Dawkins defined memes as units of cultural transmission that propagate from person to person, akin to genes. The -etics suffix then denotes a field of study, paralleling genetics and ethics. The concept was popularized in the late 20th century as a framework for analyzing how ideas replicate, mutate, and spread. Early discussions treated memes as simple replicators, but later scholars acknowledged the complexity of cultural transmission, including social networks, imitation, and media influence. First known uses appeared in Dawkins’ 1976 book The Selfish Gene, where memes were described as cultural genes competing for replicative success. Over time, memetics evolved into interdisciplinary studies bridging anthropology, psychology, information theory, and digital media, though it remains debated how rigorously it can be applied to all aspects of culture. The term has since become widely used to discuss viral ideas, internet memes, and the mechanics of idea propagation across societies.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Memetics" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Memetics"
-ics sounds
-tic sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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