VEZ-ik-uhlz
/ˈvɛzɪkəlz/
vesicles is pronounced VEZ-ik-uhlz (/ˈvɛzɪkəlz/). Vesicles are small membrane-bound sacs within cells, or in certain organisms, tiny cyst-like structures that transport and store substances. In biology, they function in processes such as secretion, uptake, and intracellular transport, varying in size but typically microscopic. The term can also refer to similar blister-like structures in medical contexts. Overall, vesicles are discrete, membrane-enclosed compartments essential for cellular logistics.
Vesicles are small membrane-bound sacs within cells, or in certain organisms, tiny cyst-like structures that transport and store substances. In biology, they function in processes such as secretion, uptake, and intracellular transport, varying in size but typically microscopic. The term can also refer to similar blister-like structures in medical contexts. Overall, vesicles are discrete, membrane-enclosed compartments essential for cellular logistics.
- Misplacing the stress: you might say ves-ICLES or ves- ic-les, but correct is VES-i-cles with stress on the first syllable. Practice by saying VES- slowly, then add -i- and -cles while keeping the first syllable prominent. - Final cluster confusion: the ending /klz/ often gets softened; ensure you voice the z clearly to avoid ending with /kl/ or /kls/. - Vowel quality: the middle /ɪ/ should not become a schwa in careful speech; keep it distinct as in 'kit', not 'uh'. Tips: tap your lips together for /v/ and gently tensor the tongue for /z/. Use slow, then gradually speed up while monitoring the final consonant.
"Mutations affecting vesicle formation can disrupt neurotransmitter release."
"The microscope revealed numerous vesicles clustered near the Golgi apparatus."
"Endocytosis involves the budding of vesicles from the cell membrane."
You pronounce it VES-i-kles, with three syllables and the primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈvɛsɪklz/ in US and UK English. The first vowel is a short e as in 'bet', the middle vowel is a short i as in 'kit', and the final -cles sounds like 'klz' with a voiced z. Place the tongue high for the /ɛ/ and keep the lips relaxed. For a quick check, say ‘VES‑i‑cles’ slowly, then speed up while keeping the initial stress clear.
Two frequent errors are: misplacing stress as di- or vo-suctions and mispronouncing the final -cles as plain 'cles' without the /z/ ending. Correct by maintaining primary stress on VES-, not VE- or ves-’ combined syllables. Also ensure the final consonant cluster becomes /klz/ rather than /kl/; the z sound is essential. Practice with slow repetition: /ˈvɛsɪklz/ until the final /z/ is crisp and voiced.
In US/UK, vesicles is /ˈvɛsɪklz/ with a clear /z/ at the end; the rhoticity doesn’t alter the word significantly. Australian English keeps the same final /z/ sound, but vowel qualities may be slightly more centralized and the /ɪ/ in the second syllable might sound closer to /ə/ in rapid speech. The initial /ˈv/ remains labiodental, but Australians can exhibit a lighter tongue position on /ɪ/ and a subtly more open /ɛ/ due to vowel shift differences.
The challenge lies in the three-consonant cluster at the end /klz/ after a short stressed first syllable; keeping the /l/ and /z/ distinct without a vowel in between can be tricky. Also, the middle /ɪ/ should not reduce too much, or you’ll risk /ˈvɛsklz/ or /ˈvɛsklz/. Focus on sustaining the /kl/ blend and voicing for /z/ while keeping the preceding /i/ крат. It benefits from precise tongue positions and steady airflow.
No silent letters in vesicles. All letters represent sounds: v as /v/, e as /ɛ/ in the first syllable, s as /s/ in the second, i as /ɪ/, c as /k/ before l, l as /l/, e as /z/ in the final cluster, and s contributing to the voicing via /z/. The final -cles is phonemically /klz/ rather than a silent or reduced element. Keeping all sounds audible ensures natural, precise pronunciation.
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- US: rhotic, but vesicles remains unaffected by rhoticity; ensure /v/ is precise and /ɛ/ is bright. - UK: maintain clear /ɛ/ with slightly sharper /s/, keep the final /z/ crisp; non-rhoticity doesn’t alter the word’s internal structure but can affect surrounding vowels in connected speech. - AU: similar to US, but you may hear a softer /ɪ/ and a slightly broader vowel space; keep /klz/ intact and avoid a faint final /s/. IPA references: US /ˈvɛsɪklz/, UK /ˈvesɪklz/, AU /ˈvɛzɪklz/ depending on speaker.
Vesicle comes from the Latin vesicula, meaning a small vessel or bladder, diminutive of vas ‘vessel’. The form entered scientific English in the 18th–19th centuries as microscopes revealed tiny vesicular structures within cells. The root vas, meaning vessel, shares ancestry with ves-, and the diminutive suffix -cula suggests a small form. Early anatomists used vesicula to describe small sacs; as cell biology matured, vesicle broadened to include any small membrane-bound compartment, including secretory, endocytic, and synaptic vesicles. The general sense of a “little vessel” persisted, while technical usage specialized by subfield. First documented uses appear in Latin-touched scientific texts and then in English translations, aligning with advances in microscopy and cell theory that exposed intracellular transport systems.
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Words that rhyme with "vesicles"
-les sounds
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