5 syllables: Pie, zo, e, lec, tric. Stress on lec.
peye-zoh-il-EK-trik
/paɪ.zoʊ.ɪˈlɛk.trɪk/
Piezo-Electric is pronounced peye-zoh-il-EK-trik (/paɪ.zoʊ.ɪˈlɛk.trɪk/). It has five syllables (Pie-zo-e-lec-tric), with the stress on "lec". Piezo-electric is a term used to describe materials or devices that generate an electric charge in response to mechanical stress, or conversely deform under applied an electrical field. It combines piezoelectric effects with electrical functionality, commonly found in sensors, actuators, and transducers. The concept spans physics, materials science, and engineering, and is frequently encountered in precision instrumentation and electronics contexts.
nounPiezo-electric is a term used to describe materials or devices that generate an electric charge in response to mechanical stress, or conversely deform under applied an electrical field. It combines piezoelectric effects with electrical functionality, commonly found in sensors, actuators, and transducers. The concept spans physics, materials science, and engineering, and is frequently encountered in precision instrumentation and electronics contexts.
Tips: slow down to 60-70% of your normal speed when practicing, exaggerate the boundary between PIE-zo and ELECT-ric, and record to compare against IPA models.
"The piezo-electric crystal generates a small voltage when bent, powering the sensor."
"Researchers integrated a piezo-electric layer into the microphone diaphragm for higher sensitivity."
"Piezo-electric actuators convert electrical energy into precise mechanical motion."
Pronounce as PIEE-zoh-eh-LEK-trok or PIEE-zoh-ee-LEK-tik depending on the variant; stress typically falls on the first syllable of the compound in US and UK practice. IPA (US/UK): /ˈpiː.ɛ.zəʊ-ɪˈlɛk.tɪk/ or /ˈpaɪ.eɪ.zəʊ-ɪˈlɛk.trɪk/? Note: The widely used form is piezoelectric: /ˌpiːˈzoʊ.ɪˈlɛk.trɪk/ in many scientific readings, with a secondary stress on the 'lectric' portion. For clarity, you can say “PEE-zo-eh-LEK-trik.” When hyphenated, emphasize the first syllable of each element: PEE-zoh-EE-lek-trik.
Common mistakes: (1) Dropping the i in piezo mid-syllable, producing ‘pzeo-’ instead of ‘pie-zo’. (2) Misplacing stress by saying pie-ZOH- or PIE-zo-E-LECT-tric too evenly; keep the primary stress on the initial element. (3) Confusing the final -lectric with -electric; pronounce as -lek-trik with clear t. Correction tips: practice PIE-zo- E-lick-trick with a slight pause between piezo and electric; use the %breath group% pattern to keep both parts distinct.
Across accents, the main differences lie in vowel quality and rhoticity. In US English, the first syllable often sounds like PIE-zo, with a rhotic non-rhotacized second part, yielding /ˌpiːˈzoʊ.ɪˈlɛk.trɪk/. In UK English, you may hear the O as a longer schwa-like or closer to /əʊ/ and the second part may be unstressed, /ˌpiːˈzəʊˌɪˈlɛk.trɪk/. Australian tends to be similar to UK but with a flatter intonation and vowel qualities closer to /ˈpaɪˈzəʊˈɛlɛktɪk/ depending on speaker, with non-rhotic tendency in some contexts.
Key challenges: the hyphenated compound combines two multisyllabic elements with subtle vowel shifts (pie/zo and elec) and a final -tric sound that can blur into -trok for some speakers. The expected stress pattern can also shift slightly depending on context. The cluster /-z oʊ/ in piezo and the alveolar stop in -lectric require precise tongue position; novices often merge the middle syllables. Practice slowing down and isolating each syllable to gain clarity.
A unique aspect is keeping ‘piezo’ and ‘electric’ clearly segmented when speaking, avoiding a run-together slur that makes it sound like one long word. The combination often leads to a double-stress risk if spoken quickly. You’ll benefit from deliberate boundary cues—pauses or slight pauses between syllable chunks (PIE-zo-E-LECT-ric). Also, note the bi-syllabic nature of piezo and the two-syllable electric, with a stressed first syllable and a secondary stress in longer phrases.
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The term piezo-electric derives from the Greek piezein, meaning to press or squeeze, combined with electric. The root piezo- reflects pressure-induced phenomena, while -electric notes the electrical response or function. The concept emerged in the 19th century as scientists observed that certain crystals generated electricity under mechanical stress; the most famous early observation involved quartz. By the 1950s and 1960s, advancements in material science and crystal engineering led to practical piezoelectric devices, notably in actuators and sensors. The first known use in scientific literature appeared in the late 19th or early 20th century as researchers formalized the relationship between mechanical stress and electric polarization in crystalline materials. Over time, the term broadened to cover synthetic ceramics and polymer-based piezoelectric materials used in a wide array of modern technologies, from medical ultrasound to ignition systems. The hyphenation piezo-electric reflects older typographic conventions; modern usage often writes piezoelectric as a closed compound. The evolution mirrors a shift from discovering piezoelectricity in natural crystals to engineering functional devices that translate mechanical energy to electrical signals and vice versa.
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Words that rhyme with "Piezo-Electric"
-tic sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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