3 syllables: re, duc, tase. Stress on tase.
/riˈdʌkteɪs/
Say it backReductase is a biological enzyme that catalyzes the reduction of a substrate, typically involving electron transfer. In biochemistry contexts, it often refers to enzymes that add hydrogen or remove oxygen in metabolic pathways. The term combines Latin roots for reducing (reduc-) and enzyme suffix (-ase).
"The reductase activity in the liver helps drive the detoxification pathway."
"Researchers studied the NADPH-dependent reductase to understand cholesterol synthesis."
"Mutations in reductase can alter metabolic flux and affect drug metabolism."
Pronounce as ri-DUK-tase with the primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US: rɪˈdʌkˌteɪz; UK: riːˈdʌkˌteɪz; AU: riːˈdʌkˌteɪz. Break it into re- (ri- as in rí), duct- (DUK), -ase (tase). The final -ase sounds like z, not s, so think -taze. Keep the vowel in the first syllable short and the second syllable dominant. Audio reference: consult biomedical term pronunciations on Forvo or Oxford dictionary audio for confirmation.”,
Two common errors: (1) placing stress on the first syllable (RE-ductase) or evenly distributing stress; (2) mispronouncing -ase as -əs or -aez. Correction: emphasize the second syllable: ri-DUCT-ase, with the final -ase voiced as z (-eɪz). Ensure the /d/ in 'duct' is a clear, clean stop, not flapped. Practice segmenting: /rɪ/ /ˈdʌk/ /teɪz/. Listening to biomedical term pronunciations can help fix the rhythm.”,
In US and UK, the main difference lies in the initial vowel quality and the final ending. US: rɪˈdʌkˌteɪz with a relatively unstressed 'ri'. UK: riːˈdʌkˌteɪz may feature a longer initial vowel in some speakers. Australian: often rhotic less pronounced in some pockets; some speakers may use /ɹɪˈdʌkˌteɪz/ with slight vowel shortening. The rhoticity difference is subtler here because the word ends with -taze; the primary stress remains on the second syllable. Always aim for /ˈ/ on the second syllable; listen to a specialist dictionary for auditory nuance.”,
Because it combines a consonant cluster (duct) with a voiced -ase ending, and the word places primary stress on the second syllable in scientific practice. The /d/ in duct is a dental-alveolar stop, and the -tase ending requires a clear, voiced alveolar sibilant followed by a voiced z, which can blur in rapid speech. The vowel in the first two syllables can vary: /ɪ/ vs /iː/ in some accents. Precision in timing, place of articulation, and voicing makes it challenging, especially for non-native speakers. IPA cues: rɪˈdʌkˌteɪz.”,
The -ase suffix should be pronounced as a voiced sibilant to rhyme with -tase, not as -tass or -teez. This creates /teɪz/ at the end. Also, the central /ʌ/ in 'duct' is critical; it should not reduce to schwa in careful speech. So the sonic target is /rɪˈdʌkˌteɪz/ with the secondary stress guiding brisk syllable rhythm. Good practice is to say it in a scientific phrase at normal tempo, then exaggerate the -teɪz portion to confirm accuracy.
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Reductase derives from Latin reducere, meaning to bring back, withdraw, or reduce, combined with the chemical suffix -ase used in enzymes. The root 'reduct-' comes from French reduire, ultimately from Latin reducere. The suffix -ase originated in 19th-century biochemistry to name enzymes that catalyze reactions; it became productive for naming many enzymes with a characteristic action. The term appears in scientific literature in the early to mid-20th century as molecular biology and enzymology matured, aligning with words like oxidase and dehydrogenase. The specific designation reductase typically implies a reduction reaction—either adding electrons or removing oxygen—within a biological pathway. First known usage traces to enzymology texts documenting reductase activities, with the compound naming convention following the established pattern: substrate + -ase, indicating the catalysis of a reduction-related transformation by the enzyme.
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Words that rhyme with "reductase"
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