3 syllables: Me, tron, ome. Stress on Me.
MET-ruh-nohm
/ˈmɛtrəˌnoʊm/
Metronome is pronounced MET-ruh-nohm (/ˈmɛtrəˌnoʊm/). It has three syllables (Me-tron-ome), with the stress on "Me". Metronome is a device or tool that marks musical time by emitting a steady beat, enabling precise tempo control for practice or performance. It provides audible ticks at a regular rate, helping musicians keep consistent timing. The term also extends to software and modes within metrical training systems.
nounMetronome is a device or tool that marks musical time by emitting a steady beat, enabling precise tempo control for practice or performance. It provides audible ticks at a regular rate, helping musicians keep consistent timing. The term also extends to software and modes within metrical training systems.
"You can practice scales with a metronome set to 60 BPM."
"The pianist adjusted the metronome to slow tempo for tricky passages."
"During the audition, she kept time with a metronome to stay rhythmic."
Pronounce as /ˌmɛˈtrɒnˌoʊm/ (US) or /ˌmɛˈtrɒnəʊm/ (UK). Primary stress on the second syllable: me‑TRO‑nome. The middle vowel in the second syllable is short /ɒ/; the final syllable ends with /oʊm/ or /əʊm/. Tip: keep the initial /m/ nasal, then open the jaw for /trɒn/ before smoothly releasing /oʊm/. You can listen to native models on Pronounce or Forvo for subtle vowel quality.
Common errors include stressing the first or last syllable instead of the second (ME-tro-nome or me-TRO-nohm). Another is mispronouncing the final /oʊm/ as /əm/ or /ɔːm/. To correct: place the peak stress on TRO, keep /ɒ/ clean, and finish with a clear /oʊm/ or /əʊm/ without adding an extra consonant. Practice with slow syllable isolation and then blend to full rate.
US typically /ˌmɛˈtrɒnˌoʊm/ with American /ɒ/ sometimes realized closer to /ɑ/; UK often /ˌmetrəˈnəʊm/ or /ˌmɛˈtrɒnəʊm/, with non-rhoticity affecting the /r/ in some speakers; Australian often /ˌmɛˈtrɒnəʊm/ with slight vowel flattening and non-rhotic rhythm. The middle syllable may show reduced vowel in casual speech, and the final /m/ is consistently bilabial nasal.
Two main challenges: the sequence /tr/ followed quickly by /ɒ/ can jar non-native speakers; and the final /oʊm/ requires a precise glide from /oʊ/ to /m/ without devoicing. Additionally, the two heavy syllables with a light middle syllable demand exact stress placement (secondary on me, primary on TRO). Focus on mouth posture, keeping lips rounded for /oʊ/ and a clean /m/ closure at the end.
The word contains a tricky consonant cluster /tr/ after the initial /m/ and a high-final sonorant /m/. The middle syllable can trigger a vowel reduction in rapid speech: /ˌmɛtrənˈoʊm/ vs /ˌmɛˈtrɒnəʊm/ in careful speech. Your aim is stabilizing the /tr/ release and preserving a distinct final /m/ rather than absorbing it into a nasal vowel.
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Metronome comes from the Greek words meta- ‘between, after’ or ‘with’ and -chronos ‘time,’ combined with -metron as a suffix from Greek metron ‘measure of time’ via late Latin metronomis and French métromone, reflecting its function of measuring musical time. The device was invented in the 17th to 18th centuries, attributed to efforts to formalize tempo in music education. Its early form was mechanical, using a pendulum or weighted wheel regulated by a weight, to produce ticks with a regular cadence. The word first appears in English in the early 19th century as music pedagogy increasingly formalized tempo training; as technology evolved, electronic metronomes replaced wind-up devices, expanding usage beyond classical music to dance, sports tempo training, and software-based timing tools. Its meaning has remained stable: a device or program that provides a steady time reference to keep rhythm. The etymology thus reflects both the method (measuring time) and the application in musical practice, with the term entering common usage as tempo became central to performance accuracy and practice discipline.
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Words that rhyme with "Metronome"
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