4 syllables: Py, ri, mi, dine. Stress on ri.
peye-RIM-id-een
/paɪˈrɪmɪdiːn/
Pyrimidine is pronounced peye-RIM-id-een (/paɪˈrɪmɪdiːn/). It has four syllables (Py-ri-mi-dine), with the stress on "ri". Pyrimidine is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound composed of a six-member ring with two nitrogen atoms at positions 1 and 3. In biochemistry, pyrimidines are one of the two families of nitrogenous bases, alongside purines, and form key components of nucleic acids. The term is used primarily in chemistry and molecular biology to describe this ring system and related derivatives.
nounPyrimidine is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound composed of a six-member ring with two nitrogen atoms at positions 1 and 3. In biochemistry, pyrimidines are one of the two families of nitrogenous bases, alongside purines, and form key components of nucleic acids. The term is used primarily in chemistry and molecular biology to describe this ring system and related derivatives.
"The pyrimidine ring is a common scaffold in many pharmaceutical agents."
"Cytosine, thymine, and uracil are natural pyrimidine bases in DNA and RNA."
"Researchers synthesized a pyrimidine derivative to inhibit a specific enzyme."
Pyrimidine is pronounced py-RIM-i-dine with primary stress on the third syllable: /ˌpɪrɪˈmiːdiːn/. Start with PY as in “pep” but quickly move to RI as in “rim,” then MI as “mee,” and DINE as “dean” with a long e sound. IPA: US /ˌpɪrɪˈmiːdiːn/, UK /ˌpɪrɪˈmiːdɪn/, AU /ˌpɪrɪˈmiːdɪn/. Visualize a three-beat rhythm: py-RI-mi-dine, with the main beat on mi, a secondary elevation on the first syllable. Audio references: consult pronunciation resources or dictionary audio for confirmation.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (often stressing the first or last syllable rather than the third), mispronouncing the second syllable as ‘rim’ with a short i, and softening the final -dine to a schwa. Correction tips: practice the sequence PY-RI-MI-DINE with clear, separated syllables, ensure the third syllable carries primary stress, and maintain a long E in ‘dine’ (/diːn/). Recording yourself helps fix tone and cadence.
In US/UK/AU, the main difference lies in the final vowel: US /diːn/ with a long E, UK /dɪn/ or /diːn/ depending on speaker, and AU tends toward /diːn/ as well but can be slightly flatter due to non-rhotic tendencies. The middle syllable remains /ˈmiː/ or /ˈmiːd/ depending on regional vowel quality, while initial /ˌpɪrɪ-/ is largely consistent. Overall rhythm and vowel length show minor regional variation, with rhoticity influencing whether the r is pronounced in the first two syllables.
Difficulties stem from the multisyllabic length, the sequence ry-MI- dine, and the long diphthong or vowel in the final syllable. The two consecutive i/vowel sounds can cause length confusion, and stressing the middle syllable is essential but easy to miss when speaking quickly. The convergence of /ɪ/ in the first two syllables and the long /iː/ in the third increases articulatory precision needs—practice slow, then speed, focusing on jaw relaxation and consistent vowel quality.
A useful nuance is recognizing the stretch of the /iː/ in the final syllable; do not reduce the last syllable to a schwa. Focus on a crisp, elongated /iː/ before the final /n/. Also, ensure you keep the second syllable short and crisp (/ˈmiː/ or /ˈmi/ depending on dialect). This balance helps maintain scientific diction in academic talk.
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The word pyrimidine comes from the Greek pyr, meaning “fire” or “pear,” and mudein, meaning “to dither” in older chemistry derivations, but its modern sense is linked to the heterocyclic ring containing two nitrogens. The term was coined in the 19th and early 20th centuries during the systematic naming of heterocyclic rings. The base name derives from pyr- signaling the ring’s nitrogen-containing character and imidine-like segments, with the -idine suffix aligning with other nitrogen-containing rings (like pyridine). First usage in chemical literature appeared in the late 19th century as chemists classified nitrogenous heterocycles; the term became standardized as the pyrimidine ring and its derivatives were implicated in nucleic acid chemistry and medicinal chemistry in the 1950s–1970s, as synthetic routes and biological relevance were established. Over time, “pyrimidine” has broadened to cover numerous substituted derivatives and fused ring systems in pharmaceuticals and biochemistry, remaining a core descriptor for this ring system in academic and commercial contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Pyrimidine" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Pyrimidine"
-ine sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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# Master Guide for Pyrimidine
