4 syllables: Sal, i, cy, lates. Stress on cy.
sal-is-IL-ayts
/sælɪˈsɪleɪts/
Salicylates is pronounced sal-is-IL-ayts (/sælɪˈsɪleɪts/). It has four syllables (Sal-i-cy-lates), with the stress on "cy". Salicylates are chemical compounds derived from salicylic acid, often used as analgesics and anti-inflammatory agents. In chemistry contexts they refer to salts or esters of salicylic acid. The term is commonly used in pharmacology and toxicology discussions. plural noun, typically appearing in scientific writing and lab notes.
nounSalicylates are chemical compounds derived from salicylic acid, often used as analgesics and anti-inflammatory agents. In chemistry contexts they refer to salts or esters of salicylic acid. The term is commonly used in pharmacology and toxicology discussions. plural noun, typically appearing in scientific writing and lab notes.
How to Pronounce Salicylates
"The patient was treated with salicylates to alleviate mild pain."
"Researchers studied the metabolic pathways of salicylates in the body."
"Salicylates can interact with other medications, requiring dose adjustments."
You say: sə-LIS-ih-layts. Primary stress on the second syllable: LIs. IPA: səˈlɪsɪˌleɪts. Start with a calm schwa, then a clear L-IS-ih sequence, and end with -lays as in lays.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (e.g., sa-LI-si-lates), mispronouncing the /sɪ/ as /si/ or the /leɪts/ as /lets/. Correct by emphasizing the second syllable, articulating /lɪ/ clearly, and finishing with /leɪts/ (like ‘lays’ with a t). Practice with slow, isolated syllables before full word delivery.
In US/UK/AU, the main issue is rhoticity and vowel length. US tends to reduce post-stress vowels slightly; UK/AU retain crisp /ɪ/ in the second syllable. The ending /leɪts/ remains similar, but UK/AU may slightly lengthen the final diphthong. Overall, stress placement remains on the second syllable: səˈlɪsɪˌleɪts.
Two main challenges: the multi-syllabic structure with four syllables and the unfamiliar /ˈlɪsɪ/ cluster after the initial schwa; plus the final /leɪts/ ending can blur with ‘-lates’ vs ‘-lets.’ Train by breaking into chunks: sə-ˈlɪ-sɪ-ˌleɪts, then blend with controlled tempo. IPA cues: səˈlɪsɪˌleɪts.
Note the secondary stress pattern: after the primary stress on the second syllable, there’s a light secondary feel on the third syllable before the final /leɪts/. Focus on sustaining the /ɪ/ vowel in the third syllable and finishing with a crisp /eɪts/. IPA reminder: səˈlɪsɪˌleɪts.
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Salicylates traces to salicylic acid, from Latin salix ‘willow,’ referring to the willow tree whose bark was used historically for pain relief. The suffix -ate denotes salts or esters of a acid in chemistry, or, in everyday language, a compound derived from the acid. The term entered scientific discourse in the 19th century with the isolation of salicylic acid from willow bark and later its chemical modification to form salicylates. First, salicylic acid was identified by Scheele and Berzelius in the early 1800s. In the late 19th century, esterification yielded acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and related salicylates. Over time, pharmacology broadened to include various salicylate salts and esters used as pharmaceuticals and metabolites. In modern usage, salicylates describe a class of chemically related compounds with shared structural features (phenolic hydroxyl group on benzene ring and carboxylate group) and similar biological activities, though potency and safety profiles vary across derivatives.
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Words that rhyme with "Salicylates"
-tes sounds
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