4 syllables: The, o, bro, mine. Stress on bro.
thee-uh-BROH-meen
/ˌθiː.əˈbroʊmiːn/
Theobromine is pronounced thee-uh-BROH-meen (/ˌθiː.əˈbroʊmiːn/). It has four syllables (The-o-bro-mine), with the stress on "bro". Theobromine is a bitter alkaloid and stimulant found in cocoa beans, tea seeds, and some other plants. It is chemically related to caffeine but is milder in effect. In biology and nutrition contexts, it’s discussed for its physiological actions and presence in chocolate products.
nounTheobromine is a bitter alkaloid and stimulant found in cocoa beans, tea seeds, and some other plants. It is chemically related to caffeine but is milder in effect. In biology and nutrition contexts, it’s discussed for its physiological actions and presence in chocolate products.
- You often default to a flat 'the' or misplace stress on the first syllable. Try placing main stress on the 'BRO' syllable: the-o-BRO-meen. • - The leading 'th' should be dental fricative: practice /ð/ (as in this) or /θ/ (as in think) depending on speaker; keep it voiced in most US speech. • - The 'o' in the second syllable is a long /oʊ/; avoid a short /o/; use a smooth diphthong that glides from /oʊ/ to /broʊ/; finally, end with /miːn/ not /mɪn/ or /maɪn/.
How to Pronounce Theobromine
"Theobromine content varies between dark and milk chocolate."
"Researchers studied theobromine’s diuretic and cardiovascular effects."
"Cocoa beans naturally contain theobromine, along with caffeine."
Say theoh-BRO-meen, stressing the second syllable. IPA: US ðəˈoʊbroʊˌmiːn, UK ˌθiːəˈbroʊmiːn, AU ˌθiːəˈbrəʊmiːn. Start with the neutral article the; then 'oh' as in go; 'bro' with a long o; final 'mine' like 'meen' but with /iː/ and careful final /n/. Audio reference: listen to technical pronunciation guides or Forvo entries for theobromine.
Common errors: misplacing stress on the first syllable (THE-o-bro-mine) or pronouncing 'th' as /t/ or /d/; mispronouncing the 'o' as short /ɒ/ instead of /oʊ/ in The-o-; and ending with /ən/ instead of /iːn/. Correction: emphasize the second syllable with /ˈoʊ/ and keep final -mine as /miːn/. Practice slowly: the-oh-BRO-meen with final nasal release similar to 'mean.'
US: /ðəˈoʊbroʊˌmiːn/ with /ð/ and /ˈoʊ/; UK: /ˌθiːəˈbroʊmiːn/ emphasizes /ˈbroʊ/ and often a more dental /θ/ or /ð/ depending on speaker; AU: /ˌθiːəˈbrəʊmiːn/ with /ɒ/ vs /oʊ/ and non-rhoticity; rhoticity differences affect /r/ handling in connected speech, and vowel qualities shift in Australian English to closer to /əʊ/ and /ə/.
Because it combines a multi-syllabic stem with a three-part syllable structure: the- o - bro - mine. The initial /ð/ or /θ/ is a voiceless or voiced dental fricative that learners often confuse, while the /oʊ/ diphthong in the second syllable can be mispronounced as /o/ or /ɒ/. Final -mine can be misread as /maɪn/ instead of /miːn/. Careful attention to place of articulation and linking helps: the-o-BRO-meen.
The core is the diphthong in the second syllable and the final long /iːn/; non-native speakers frequently misplace the primary stress or substitute a schwa in the middle syllable. The word often begins with an unstressed 'the' pronounced /ðə/ or /ðiː/ before the stressed syllable, which differs by accent. Paying attention to the exact IPA and practicing the sequence the-oh-BRO-meen will yield accurate results.
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- US: rhotic, final /n/; ensure a clear /broʊ/ and /miːn/. - UK: may use a closer fronted /θ/ or /ð/ and a slightly longer /iː/; non-rhotic tendencies affect linking and r-coloration. - AU: often non-rhotic, with broader vowels; /ɒ/ or /əʊ/ variations; maintain /ˈbroʊ/ for contrast with /ˈbroʊmiːn/; IPA references help you keep accuracy.
The word theobromine comes from Latin thea (goddess, tea) combined with Brazilian chemist Oswaldo Theobromas who helped isolate it, but the naming more directly reflects its occurrence in theobroma (the cacao tree genus). Theobromine is a methylxanthine alkaloid first isolated in the 19th century during the study of cacao and related plants. The root thea- refers to gods or tea; -bromine does not imply the element bromine but is a traditional ending linked to bromine-like benzylic structures in older chemical nomenclature. Theobromine’s recognition as a distinct compound followed the broader 19th-century boom in isolating plant alkaloids such as caffeine and theophylline, with its dark chocolate association cementing the term in popular science and nutrition literature.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Theobromine" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Theobromine" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Theobromine"
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