muh-TAB-uh-liz-uhm
/məˈtæbəˌlɪzəm/
Metabolism is pronounced muh-TAB-uh-liz-uhm (/məˈtæbəˌlɪzəm/). Metabolism is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms that convert food into energy and building blocks for growth, repair, and function. It encompasses catabolic and anabolic pathways, regulating energy expenditure and substrate turnover. Understanding metabolism helps explain how organisms extract, store, and use energy from nutrients.
nounMetabolism is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms that convert food into energy and building blocks for growth, repair, and function. It encompasses catabolic and anabolic pathways, regulating energy expenditure and substrate turnover. Understanding metabolism helps explain how organisms extract, store, and use energy from nutrients.
"A balanced diet supports healthy metabolism and energy levels."
"Her metabolism tends to speed up with regular exercise."
"Diseases can alter metabolism, affecting how the body processes fats and sugars."
Metabolism is pronounced /ˌmɛtəˈbɒlɪz(ə)m/. It’s a four-syllable word with the primary stress on the third syllable: me-ta-BO-liz-əm. Start with a clear 'meh' sound, then a light 'tuh' before the stressed 'boll' (as in 'bowl'), followed by a soft 'iz' and the final 'um' linked quickly. Visualize the sequence: met-a-BOL-i-zem. Listen for the second half’s rhythm, where the ‘bol’ carries the beat. Audio references include reputable dictionaries or pronunciation platforms that offer native-speaker recordings.
Common errors include stressing the wrong syllable and rushing the vowel sounds: 1) stressing the second syllable (ME-ta- bol-ism) instead of the third (met-a-BO-lis-m). 2) mispronouncing the -bol- as a hard 'bowl' without linking the vowel to the following ‘i’ sound, producing a choppy feel. 3) truncating the final '-ism' or weakening the /m/ at the end. To correct, practice the full four-syllable sequence with steady tempo and emphasize the 'BO' syllable, then smoothly glide into ‘lizm’ without breaking.
In US English, you’ll hear /ˌmɛ tə ˈbɒlɪz əm/ with a rhotic final sound and slightly clipped final 'm'. UK English generally renders it /ˌmɛtəˈbɒlɪz(ə)m/ with non-rhoticity more noticeable in some speakers and a slightly more rounded vowel in the first syllables. Australian English tends toward /ˌmɛtəˈbɒlɪz(ə)m/ with a broader, more open /æ/ in some speakers and a clearer, pronounced final schwa in syllables. The primary variation is in vowel quality and rhoticity; the basic stress pattern remains the same (met-a-BOL-i-sm).
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic balance and the shift of stress into the third syllable, which isn’t intuitive if you only hear the word spoken in quick phrases. The cluster -bol- combines a strong consonant with a vowel, then the -i- in a light, unstressed position, and the final -sm tends to blur. Practicing with slow, deliberate segmentation helps, followed by gradual speed while maintaining the syllable boundaries and nucleus vowels.
Metabolism includes both catabolic and anabolic processes, and the stress pattern helps you parse that complexity: the primary stress lands on the third syllable (met-a-BOL-ism). The -bol- component shares its sound with 'bowl' but should be tightly linked to the following 'iz' sound; don’t separate 'bol' from 'iz' too much. Practicing with minimal pairs that compare similar stress placements can clarify this unique rhythm.
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US: emphasize the /ɒ/ vowel in the stressed 'bol', keep the final 'ism' as /ɪzəm/; ensure the linkage between the 'l' and 'i' for smooth transitions. UK: more rounded vowel in 'met a', non-rhotic, so the 'r' is silent; keep the 'bol' strong but not overemphasized. AU: lean toward broader /æ/ or /ɛ/ in first syllables, maintain the same stress pattern, and push the final /əm/ with a softer, quicker release to mimic casual speech.
Metabolism comes from the Greek meta- meaning 'change' and -bolismus from bolē meaning 'a throw, a casting' or bole meaning 'to cast, toss' with the sense of 'a throwing together' of substances in chemical processes. The term first appeared in the 19th century in biochemical contexts to describe the total set of chemical reactions in living organisms. Early usage distinguished between catabolic and anabolic processes, with emphasis on how energy is produced and consumed. Over time, metabolism broadened to describe the dynamic network of pathways governing nutrient processing, energy balance, and synthesis of essential biomolecules. The word’s evolution mirrors advances in physiology and biochemistry, when scientists formalized metabolic pathways, ATP production, and the regulation of metabolic flux in health and disease.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Metabolism" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Metabolism" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Metabolism"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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