3 syllables: Mes, ca, line. Stress on Mes.
MES-kuh-leen
/ˈmɛskəˌlin/
Mescaline is pronounced MES-kuh-leen (/ˈmɛskəˌlin/). It has three syllables (Mes-ca-line), with the stress on "Mes". Mescaline is a psychedelic phenethylamine obtained from certain cacti, notably the San Pedro and peyote species. It functions as a hallucinogen by stimulating serotonin receptors, producing altered perception, mood, and cognition. The term refers both to the compound and to the illegal substance containing it, typically consumed in dried cactus material or capsules.
nounMescaline is a psychedelic phenethylamine obtained from certain cacti, notably the San Pedro and peyote species. It functions as a hallucinogen by stimulating serotonin receptors, producing altered perception, mood, and cognition. The term refers both to the compound and to the illegal substance containing it, typically consumed in dried cactus material or capsules.
"The expedition guide warned that mescaline can intensify sensory experiences."
"Recreational use of mescaline is illegal in many jurisdictions and carries health risks."
"Researchers studied mescaline's effects on perception and emotion in controlled settings."
Phonetic guide: mescaline is pronounced me-SKAL-een, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˌmɛsˈkæliːn/ or /ˈmɛskəˌliːn/? Note: standard is /ˌmɛsˈkæl.iːn/ for many pronunciations, with the middle vowel as æ. In careful speech: /ˌmɛsˈkæl.ɪn/? Use /ˌmɛsˈkæl.iːn/ for two-syllable rhythm. Listen to authoritative dictionaries for the best reference.
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable and mispronouncing the middle vowel. You might say mes-CAL-ine with the second syllable stressed, or mispronounce as mes-CA-lin. The correct pattern emphasizes the second syllable: me-SCAL-een, with the 'SCAL' cluster pronounced as skæl and ending with een. Practice by isolating the /skæl/ portion and ensuring a long 'ee' at the end.
In US/UK/AU, the initial 'mes' is /mɛs/; the middle syllable varies: /skə/ or /skæl/ depending on speaker. Most varieties maintain the 'kal' or 'kæl' as the stressed syllable, before the final long 'een' /iːn/. US tends toward /ˌmɛsˈkæl.iːn/, UK often /ˌmɛsˈkæl.iːn/, and AU aligns with /ˌmɛsˈkæl.iːn/. Rhoticity affects only the preceding vowel; the rest remains similar. Practice listening to dictionary recordings from each region.
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster 'skal' and the long final vowel. Many speakers misplace stress on the third syllable or confuse the 'sc' versus 'sk' sound, producing me-sca-LEEN. The correct stress is on the penultimate syllable, with clear /sk/ onset and a long /iːn/ ending. Focus on the transition from /s/ to /k/ to /æ/ (or /æ/ in the stressed syllable) and finish with the tense /iːn/.
Mescaline’s unique feature is the 'cal' portion where the vowel quality is central: /æ/ in many pronunciations, which can verge toward /ə/ in rapid speech. Keeping the /æ/ sound steady helps reduce 'mes-kah-teen' mispronunciations. Also, the final -ine is a long /iːn/; avoid shortening to /ɪn/. The combination forms me-skal-een, with your tongue cued to a brisk, clipped /s/ leading into /k/ and /æ/ before the elongated /iːn/.
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Mescaline derives from mescal, a term used to describe certain Mexican ritual cacti. The word mescal is from Spanish mezcal, which historically referred to distilled alcohol from agave, but in botany and ethnobotany it also denotes the psychoactive alkaloids present in peyote and related cacti. The -ine ending signals a chemical compound or alkaloid in English, borrowed into scientific nomenclature in the 19th–20th centuries. First identified in the late 19th century in extracts of peyote-containing cacti, mescaline’s structure—3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine—was elucidated in the early 20th century, linking it to phenethylamines. The term entered popular and clinical discourse as researchers explored its psychoactive properties in the 1950s and 1960s, contributing to the era’s psychedelic science and counterculture vocabulary. Over time, mescaline has maintained its scientific designation while becoming a cultural symbol of indigenous peyote use and modern psychedelic research. Although originally tied to mescal, the alkaloid is sometimes described as a mescaline alkaloid within broader plant alkaloid taxonomy. First known use in print appears in late 19th-century pharmacological literature, with broader ethnobotanical references following in the 20th century.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Mescaline" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Mescaline"
-ine sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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