uhl-truh-SAH-nik
/ˌʌltɹəˈsɑnɪk/
ultrasonic is pronounced uhl-truh-SAH-nik (/ˌʌltɹəˈsɑnɪk/). Ultrasonic refers to sound waves with a frequency above the upper audible limit of human hearing (generally above 20 kHz). It is used to describe devices, measurements, or phenomena that operate with such high-frequency sound waves. The term is commonly applied in medical imaging, industrial cleaning, and non-destructive testing, where ultrasonic waves have unique propagation and interaction properties compared to audible sound.
Ultrasonic refers to sound waves with a frequency above the upper audible limit of human hearing (generally above 20 kHz). It is used to describe devices, measurements, or phenomena that operate with such high-frequency sound waves. The term is commonly applied in medical imaging, industrial cleaning, and non-destructive testing, where ultrasonic waves have unique propagation and interaction properties compared to audible sound.
- Misplacing stress: Users often place primary stress on the second syllable or distribute stress evenly, leading to /ˌUl-trəˈso-nik/ rather than /ˌʌltrəˈsɒnɪk/. Fix: keep stress on the syllable before ‘son’.” - Incorrect vowel reduction: Treating /ə/ as a full vowel in /trə/ makes the word sound heavier; reduce to a schwa. Fix: lightly pronounce the second syllable, avoiding a long /ə/. - Slipping consonant clusters: Attempting to blend /ltr/ into a single sound or mispronouncing /tr/ as /dr/ or /tr/ without the correct release. Fix: ensure /l/ and /t/ are distinct before the /r/ and /s/, don't skip the /t/ release.
"The ultrasonic scanner helped reveal hidden tissue structures without invasive procedures."
"An ultrasonic cleaner uses high-frequency vibrations to remove dirt from delicate parts."
"Researchers calibrated the device to emit ultrasonic pulses for precise material analysis."
Ultrasonic is pronounced /ˌʌltrəˈsɒnɪk/ in US and UK English, with main stress on the second syllable: ul-TRA-son-ic. The first syllable is a schwa-reduced /ˈʌl/ leading into /trə/. The third syllable carries stressless but clear /sɒ/ (British /ɒ/ as in lot). In American speech the final -ic is often a light /ɪk/. Tip: emphasize the second syllable before the “son” to keep the stress pattern clear.
Common mistakes include misplacing the primary stress (trying to stress the first or third syllable), pronouncing the middle vowel as a full /oʊ/ instead of the reduced /ə/ in /trə/, and merging /t/ and /r/ into /tr/ too lightly making the word sound like /ˌʌlˈtrɒn-ɪk/. Correction: keep the syllable sequence ul-trə-son-ic, place primary stress on the /ɒ/ in son, ensure the /t/ is released as a crisp /t/ before /r/, and use a short, relaxed /ə/ between /l/ and /t/.
US: /ˌʌltrəˈsɒnɪk/ with rhoticity and a clear /ɒ/ in the stressed syllable. UK: /ˌʌltrəˈsɒnɪk/ similar, but with more non-rhoticity and a tighter /ɒ/ and a more pronounced /t/ release. AU: /ˌʌl.trəˈsɒ.nɪk/ may feature a slightly flatter vowel in final /ɪk/ and a gentler /ɜ/ quality in the second syllable depending on speaker. Overall, the stress pattern remains secondary on the second syllable, but vowel qualities shift subtly with rhotic vs non-rhotic tendencies.
Because of a cluster of consonants after the initial vowel and the two-syllable stress pattern that places emphasis on the third syllable cluster (son). The sequence ul-trə-son-ic requires precise /t/ release before /r/ and a quick move to /s/; the /ə/ is often reduced, making mispronunciations feel like /ˌultrəˈsɑnɪk/ or /ˌʌltərˈsɒnɪk/ depending on speaker. Focus on the subtle /tə/ timing and keeping the /tr/ together without adding extra aspiration.
A unique point is the placement of the secondary cluster /tr/ immediately after the initial vowel, forming ul- + tr-, requiring careful timing to avoid running /t/ into the /r/. The primary stress sits on the /son/ syllable, with a clear /s/ onset before /ɒ/; you should minimize vowel lengthening in /ə/ between /l/ and /t/. IPA guide: /ˌʌltrəˈsɒnɪk/.
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- US vs UK vs AU: US tends to rhotic /ɹ/ and a looser /ɒ/ in ‘son’; UK often has a shorter /ɒ/ and less rhotic influence in formal speech; AU varies, with a generally non-rhotic tendency in careful speech but can show rhoticity in some speakers. Vowel notes: /ʌ/ in first syllable; /ə/ reduction in second syllable; /ɒ/ in ‘son’; final /ɪk/ can be a light /ɪk/ in US and UK just slightly shorter in AU. IPA references: /ˌʌltrəˈsɒnɪk/ across accents, but expect rhotic differences mid-word for US.
Ultrasonic comes from the prefix ultra- meaning ‘beyond’ or ‘exceeding,’ combined with sonic, from Latin sonus ‘sound.’ The word was formed in the 19th–20th centuries as technology advanced to frequencies beyond human hearing. Early use centered on high-frequency acoustics in scientific and medical contexts; ultrasonic devices emerged in nondestructive testing and imaging in the mid-20th century, with the term закрепленный in English-language scientific literature. The baseline sense is “sound beyond normal human hearing,” but the term broadened to describe anything using or relating to such high-frequency sound waves. First known usage in English appears in technical journals around the 1920s–1940s, often in German and American research circles translating to “ultraschall” or similar terms, later standardizing to ultrasonic in English. It is now common across engineering, medicine, and physics to denote high-frequency acoustic phenomena and apparatus.
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Words that rhyme with "ultrasonic"
-nic sounds
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