tranz-JEN-ik
/ˌtɹænˈzdʒɛnɪk/
transgenic is pronounced tranz-JEN-ik (/ˌtɹænˈzdʒɛnɪk/). transgenic (adj): pertaining to organisms whose genome has been altered through genetic engineering, typically by inserting genes from another species. Used especially in biomedical research and agriculture to study gene function or confer desirable traits. The term combines trans- (across) with -genic (producing or origin).
transgenic (adj): pertaining to organisms whose genome has been altered through genetic engineering, typically by inserting genes from another species. Used especially in biomedical research and agriculture to study gene function or confer desirable traits. The term combines trans- (across) with -genic (producing or origin).
"The study used transgenic mice to investigate the role of the gene in development."
"Researchers created a transgenic plant to express a drought-resistant trait."
"Ethical review was required before any transgenic experiments could proceed."
US/UK/AU pronunciation features: stress on the second syllable: trans-ˈdʒɛnɪk. IPA: US /trænsˈdʒɛnɪk/, UK /trɑːnsˈdʒɛnɪk/, AU /trænsˈdʒɛnɪk/. Start with the initial consonant cluster /tr/ as a single breathy stop, then /æ/ (US/AU) or /ɑː/ (UK), then the /n/ followed by /dʒ/ as in “jet,” then /ɛ/ as in “bet” and end with /nɪk/. Place the primary stress on the second syllable. Listening tip: a short, crisp /t/ release before /dʒ/ helps articulate the blend. You’ll often hear a tiny vowel reduction in rapid speech, but the stressed second syllable remains clear.
Common errors: (1) misplacing stress, saying trans- at the second syllable becomes /trænsˈtʃɛnɪk/ or /trænsˈtʒɛnɪk/—keep /dʒ/ as the onset of the third syllable, not a separate /t/ and /ʃ/. (2) mispronouncing /dʒ/ as /ʒ/ or /j/; aim for a clear /dʒ/ as in “edge.” (3) vowel quality in the second vowel: avoid /i/ or /ɪ/; use /ɛ/ as in “bet.” Corrections: practice /trænsˈdʒɛnɪk/ with a crisp /dʒ/; keep /n/ between /s/ and /dʒ/; land the /ɛ/ firmly before /nɪk/.
US tends to /trænsˈdʒɛnɪk/ with a slightly flatter vowel in /æ/ and a shorter /ɪ/ in the final syllable. UK often uses /trɑːnsˈdʒɛnɪk/ with a broader /ɑː/ in the first syllable and less rhoticity influence on the preceding consonant cluster. Australian typically features /trænsˈdʒɛnɪk/ similar to US but with a flatter /æ/ and a shorter /ɪ/ due to Australian vowel reductions. Across all accents, the /dʒ/ is a single affricate onset after /n/, fronted tongue for /ɛ/ and release timing varies slightly with voicing. Practice with native audio to feel the subtle lengthening in UK vowels.
The difficulty centers on the /dʒ/ affricate after a /n/ cluster, and the vowel timing in the stressed second syllable. The /æ/ vs /ɑː/ choice in the first syllable can mislead rhythm, and the immediate /n/ before /dʒ/ demands precise tongue blade contact to avoid a /nɡ/ or /ndʒ/ misarticulation. The word’s meaning-driven stress on the second syllable also requires you to keep the first syllable light and the second clearly accented. Focusing on the /n/ + /dʒ/ transition helps consistency.
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US: /trænsˈdʒɛnɪk/ with a shorter /æ/; keep /æ/ open and relaxed, minimal lip rounding. UK: /trɑːnsˈdʒɛnɪk/ uses a longer /ɑː/ in the first syllable and a clearer /ɛ/ in the second; the /r/ is non-rhotic, so the preceding /n/ leads straight into /dʒ/. AU: leans toward /trænsˈdʒɛnɪk/ similar to US but with slightly broader vowels and less lateral release; watch /æ/ and /ɪ/ quality. Across all, the key is the /dʒ/ onset and the /ɛ/ in the second syllable, with correct stress on the second syllable.
transgenic derives from the Latin prefix trans- (across, through) and the Greek -genic (origin, produced by). The root -genic comes from Greek -genēs, from gennaō “to beget, produce,” related to genesis. The combining form trans- entered technical vocabulary in biology via late 20th-century genetics to describe modifications across species barriers, i.e., genes transferred into a non-native genome. Early uses emerged as genetic engineering emerged in the 1970s and 1980s, when scientists were able to introduce foreign genes into organisms to study function. The term stabilized in the 1980s–1990s within molecular biology and agricultural biotech literature, with “transgenic mouse” becoming a canonical reference in model organism research. Over time, “transgenic” broadened beyond animals to plants, bacteria, and cell lines. The word’s sense has always hinged on deliberate genetic modification rather than natural inheritance, marking it as a technical descriptor in modern biotech discourse.
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