2 syllables: Tri, chomes. Stress on Tri.
TREYE-kohmz
/ˈtraɪkoʊmz/
Trichomes is pronounced TREYE-kohmz (/ˈtraɪkoʊmz/). It has two syllables (Tri-chomes), with the stress on "Tri". Trichomes are tiny hair-like outgrowths on plants, especially on cannabis and many leafy species, that can secrete and protect against environmental stress. In biology, they refer to small epidermal scales or appendages on plant tissue. The term covers structures ranging from glandular hairs to non-glandular hairs, contributing to texture, defense, and microclimate effects on the leaf surface.
nounTrichomes are tiny hair-like outgrowths on plants, especially on cannabis and many leafy species, that can secrete and protect against environmental stress. In biology, they refer to small epidermal scales or appendages on plant tissue. The term covers structures ranging from glandular hairs to non-glandular hairs, contributing to texture, defense, and microclimate effects on the leaf surface.
- Common phonetic challenges: (1) mispronouncing the initial 'tr' cluster as a simple 't' or 'd' sound; (2) confusing the second syllable vowel: /oʊ/ (US) vs /əʊ/ (UK/AU); (3) incorrect final cluster /mz/ vs /mz/ with trailing schwa. Corrections: (1) make the /t/ release crisp and immediately blend into /r/, avoiding a break; (2) keep the second syllable open to a rising diphthong; (3) finish with a clear /mz/ keeping the voice on the /m/ and immediately releasing to /z/. Practice steps: pair ‘trick’ with ‘mows’; do 5–8 reps daily, record, compare to native samples.
"The trichomes on the cannabis buds are rich in cannabinoids, giving the plant its frosty appearance."
"Some plants use trichomes to deter herbivores by making surfaces sticky or irritating."
"Microscopic trichomes can influence how a leaf interacts with water and light."
You say TRI-kohmz, with the primary stress on the first syllable. IPA US: /ˈtrɪk.oʊmz/; UK: /ˈtrɪ.kəʊmz/. Start with a crisp T sound, then a short
Common issues: misplacing syllable stress (place on second syllable), pronouncing the second syllable as 'kume' rather than 'koʊmz', and adding an extra syllable as 'trich-oh-mees'. Correction: keep TRIH as the stressed syllable, use a long /oʊ/ for the second syllable, and end with /mz/ rather than /məs/ or /məz/. Practice: /ˈtrɪ.kəʊmz/ or /ˈtrɪ.k.oʊmz/ depending on accent.
In US, you’ll hear /ˈtrɪ.k.oʊmz/ with a clear /oʊ/ diphthong and rhotic r in broader speech. UK often uses /ˈtrɪ.kəʊmz/, with a shorter, tighter first syllable and a slightly reduced second vowel; non-rhotic vowels may reduce the final r-like sound. Australian tends toward /ˈtrɪ.kəʊmz/ with a rounded /əʊ/ in the second syllable and a flatter R absent in non-rhotic contexts. Overall: stress remains on the first syllable; vowel quality shifts slightly by region.
Two main challenges: the sequence of consonants in ‘trich-’ blends with a crisp /t/ and /r/ cluster that can slow fluency, and the /i/ vs /ɪ/ and /oʊ/ vs /əʊ/ diphthongs in the second syllable demand precise tongue height and lip rounding. Additionally, the final /mz/ requires a brief, voiced alveolar nasal release followed by a voiced bilabial /z/—a subtle transition that many learners flatten. Practicing minimal pairs helps lock the transitions.
There are no silent letters in trichomes. The stress is on the first syllable: TRI-chomes, with the second syllable carrying a clear /ɪ/ or /ə/ depending on accent and a long /oʊ/ or /əʊ/ diphthong. Pay attention to the 'ch' cluster, which is pronounced as /k/ in this word, not the typical /tʃ/ you might expect from 'ch' in other words. This is a good reminder that 'ch' is not uniformly pronounced across English words.
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US: rhotic accent means the final r can influence preceding vowels in connected speech; UK/AU reduce rhotics in many contexts but the word still ends with /mz/. In practice, US speakers may have a more pronounced /oʊ/; UK speakers may use a shorter /əʊ/ and less vowel length in the first syllable. Vowel shifts: US tends to permit a fuller /ɪ/ in the first syllable; UK tends toward a tighter /ɪ/ with more centralized second syllable vowel. IPA references: US /ˈtrɪ.k(oʊ).mz/; UK /ˈtrɪ.kəʊmz/; AU /ˈtrɪ.kəʊmz/; ensure non-rhoticity in UK/AU when at word end in connected speech.
Trichome derives from the Greek thrix, trich- meaning hair, and the Latin -ome, a suffix used in biology to denote a part or tumor. The first known use dates to early botanical and anatomical writings in the 17th–18th centuries as microscopists began to describe epidermal projections on plants. The term emerges from the combination of tricho- (hair) with -ome (mass or part), aligning with other bio-terms like trichography and trichology. Over time, trichome broadened from general hairs on plant surfaces to specifically describe glandular and non-glandular outgrowths in numerous plant taxa. Modern usage often distinguishes glandular (secreting) trichomes from non-glandular ones, with particular emphasis in cannabis botany and plant physiology research. The word’s standard pronunciation has remained stable across varieties of English, with minor regional vowel shifts driving only accent nuances rather than core sound changes.
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Words that rhyme with "Trichomes"
-mes sounds
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