2 syllables: synth, ase. Stress on synth.
SIN-tays
/ˈsɪnˌteɪs/
synthase is pronounced SIN-tays (/ˈsɪnˌteɪs/). It has two syllables (synth-ase), with the stress on "synth". Synthase refers to an enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of a specific biochemical compound, typically by forming chemical bonds during metabolic processes. In biochemistry, it designates a class of enzymes rather than a general enzyme type, and it often appears in names such as ATP synthase, where it drives the formation of ATP. The term is used in formal scientific contexts and research literature.
Synthase refers to an enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of a specific biochemical compound, typically by forming chemical bonds during metabolic processes. In biochemistry, it designates a class of enzymes rather than a general enzyme type, and it often appears in names such as ATP synthase, where it drives the formation of ATP. The term is used in formal scientific contexts and research literature.
"Researchers studied the role of synthase in polyketide biosynthesis."
"ATP synthase is essential for cellular energy production."
"The synthase complex couples substrate conversion to proton motive force."
Pronounce as SYN-tase with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˈsɪnˌteɪs/. The first syllable sounds like “sin” with a short I, the second syllable is a clear “tase” like ‘tace’ in place names, with a long A vowel diphthong. Ensure the t is a light alveolar stop; avoid linking to ‘synthe-’ as in synthetic. Mouth: start with a relaxed jaw, tip of the tongue near the alveolar ridge for the /s/, then raise the tongue to form the /ɪ/ vowel, and finish with the /teɪs/ sequence where the tongue glides from /t/ to /eɪ/ before the final /s/. Audience note: in rapid speech, you may hear /ˈsɪnˌteɪz/ in some faster scientific reads.
Common errors: (1) Overemphasizing the second syllable, producing /ˈsɪnˌTEɪs/ or /ˈsɪnˌtiːz/; (2) Slurring the final /s/ into a voiced vowel, yielding /ˈsɪnˌteɪz/; (3) Mispronouncing /ɪ/ as /iː/ in the first syllable or treating /æ/ as in ‘cat’. Correction: keep the first syllable lax /ɪ/ and the second syllable as /teɪs/ with a clearly released /t/. Practice minimal pairs like ‘sin-tace’ vs ‘sin-tase’ to feel the short /ɪ/ vs long /eɪ/. Use a slow pace at first, then increase speed while maintaining the crisp alveolar /t/ and final /s/.
Rhotic and vowel quality differences appear: US generally uses /ˈsɪnˌteɪs/ with a rhotic-less /ɹ/ not present in the word itself; UK typically /ˈsɪnˌteɪs/ with clear non-rhoticism; Australian often aligns with UK-influenced vowels but with slight vowel length differences in diphthongs and a modern tendency toward more relaxed /t/ flapping in rapid speech. Accent-specific subtleties center on the riser in /teɪ/ and the final /s/ clarity. In fast scientific narration, some speakers reduce to /ˈsɪnˌteɪz/; prefer fully enunciated /ˈsɪnˌteɪs/ for clarity in teaching materials.
The difficulty comes from the /ɪ/ vs /ɪə/ balance and the /t/ release before /eɪ/ in /teɪ/. The sequence /n-t/ can blur in fast speech, and the final /s/ should be crisp rather than devoiced into /z/ in certain contexts. Additionally, the word combines a sibilant onset with a mid vowel and a voiced-ish stop transition, demanding precise tongue placement. Practice with slower tempo, ensuring a sharp /t/ release and a distinct /s/ at the end to avoid /z/ assimilation.
A useful tip is to anchor the mouth position with a light /s/ and keep the tongue high for /ɪ/ before quickly lowering to transition into /teɪs/. Think of splitting the word at the natural hinge: SYN- /sɪn/ and -tase /teɪs/. This helps maintain steady tempo and prevents the /t/ from getting swallowed in media-fast speech. Visualize the mouth forming a small, brief /t/ release followed by a clear /eɪ/ glide, then a crisp final /s/.
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The word synthase comes from the combining form syn- (together) + the root Greek zynthos (yoked, joined) and the Latin -ase suffix common to enzymes, indicating a biological catalyst. The term entered scientific usage in the early 20th century as biochemists classified enzymes by function rather than solely by substrate. ‘Synthetase’ and ‘synthase’ became distinguished in enzymology: synthetases require ATP to form bonds, while synthases can catalyze bond formation without external energy input in some contexts. The first widely cited usage appears in enzymology discussions of biosynthetic pathways in bacteria and plants, where enzyme names like “glutamyl-tRNA synthetase” and “ATP synthase” exemplified the pattern of combining a substrate/process with the -ase suffix. Over time, synthase has specifically come to denote enzymes that drive synthesis in biosynthetic or assembly reactions, often as a component of multi-enzyme complexes. Modern literature uses synthase to denote general synthetic catalysis, distinct from hydrolytic or oxidative enzymes, preserving its historical linkage to the idea of joining components into larger molecules. The precise historical origins reflect early 20th-century efforts to map metabolic pathways and the realization that many cellular ‘synthesis’ steps are enzyme-mediated rather than spontaneous. First known use is documented in biochemical glossaries and scholarly articles from the 1930s–1950s as enzymology matured into molecular biology.
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Words that rhyme with "synthase"
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