PLANGK-tuhn
/ˈplæŋktən/
plankton is pronounced PLANGK-tuhn (/ˈplæŋktən/). Plankton is a collective term for the tiny, drifting organisms that float in aquatic environments and form the base of the food chain. They include microscopic plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton), and though individually small, their sheer abundance supports marine ecosystems. In science and ecology contexts, the word conveys both quantity and position in the energy pyramid more than specific species.
Plankton is a collective term for the tiny, drifting organisms that float in aquatic environments and form the base of the food chain. They include microscopic plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton), and though individually small, their sheer abundance supports marine ecosystems. In science and ecology contexts, the word conveys both quantity and position in the energy pyramid more than specific species.
- Keep your first syllable strong with /æ/ but avoid over-exaggerating; the second syllable should be short and reduced to /ən/. - Don’t insert extra vowels between /ŋ/ and /k/ or before /t/: practice the tight /ŋk/ cluster. - Don’t bury the /t/ in the onset; lightly release it before the schwa in /ən/.
"Scientists labeled the estuary’s water as rich in plankton after the bloom."
"The research ship collected plankton samples to study ocean health."
"In the exhibit, you’ll learn how plankton drift with currents and light."
You say /ˈplæŋk.tən/. Start with the short, lax A as in cat, then the n. The second syllable has a schwa or a reduced vowel: /tən/. The primary stress is on the first syllable: PLANK-ton. Tip: keep the tongue high for the /æ/ and finish with a light, quick /tən/.
Common errors: (1) turning the second syllable into a full vowel like /ɒ/ as in ‘cot’ instead of a reduced /ən/. (2) Overemphasizing the /t/ between syllables, producing /ˈplæŋk.tæən/ or /ˈplæŋk.tɛn/. Correction: let the second syllable reduce to /ən/ or /ən/ with a quick, light /t/ before it. (3) Misplacing the /æ/; keep it short and lax, not a tense /eɪ/.
In US and UK, the first syllable stresses the /æ/ vowel, with a clear /æ/ and a soft /t/ in the second syllable. US tends toward a rhotic, slightly more rounded /ɹ/ in affiliated phrases, but /ˈplæŋk.tən/ remains stable. Australian speakers typically retain the same core vowels but may have a slightly broader /æ/ quality and faster rhythm. Overall, rhoticity isn’t a factor; the main difference is vowel quality and tempo.
The word pairs a stressed, open-front vowel /æ/ with a reduced second syllable /ən/. The cluster /plæŋk/ ends with a velar nasal /ŋ/ followed by a hard /k/ and abrupt /t/ onset, then a quick /ən/. It’s easy to misplace the /t/ or merge the second syllable, giving /ˈplæŋktən/ or /ˈplæŋktæən/. Maintaining a light, unstressed second syllable helps.
A distinctive feature is maintaining the /ŋk/ sequence before the /t/; many learners insert an extra vowel or split the cluster. Keeping the /ŋ/ and /k/ together with a short, unreleased /t/ reduces carryover to the second syllable. This helps preserve the natural flow: /ˈplæŋk.tən/ with the /t/ as a quick, non-syllabic link rather than a full stop.
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- US: rhotic? avoid over-pronouncing the /r/; focus on clear /æ/ in PLANK and a quick /ən/. - UK: align with a slightly clipped /tən/ and less vowel length; keep /æ/ bright. - AU: maintain the same /æ/ vowel and crisp /t/; pitch tends to be a touch higher with a faster tempo.
Plankton originates from the Greek planktos, meaning wandering or drifting, and the combining form -ton from the earlier word planktos that signified something that drifts. The term was adopted in the 19th century within oceanography to describe organisms that drift with currents rather than swim against them. Early usage distinguished plankton from nekton, which can swim. Over time, scientists consolidated various small drift-forming organisms under plankton, with phytoplankton and zooplankton becoming standard subcategories. The word’s sense broadened as researchers recognized that even minute, microscopic life plays a critical role in marine ecosystems and global biogeochemical cycles. First known uses appeared in European scientific texts around the mid-to-late 1800s, reflecting a period of rapid advancement in ocean exploration and taxonomy.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "plankton" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "plankton" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "plankton"
-on) sounds
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