How to pronounce bacterium
Say it like bak-TIR-ee-um. Bacterium has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TIR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bacterium. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- bak
- TIR
- ee
- um
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bacterium pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- bakKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- TIRSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- umKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of bacterium
- American English uses 4 syllables and British English 3.
British respelling: bak-TEER-reerm.
What does bacterium mean?
- A single-celled organism with cell walls but no nucleus or organelles.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with bacterium
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bacterium.
Questions about saying bacterium
How do you pronounce bacterium?
Say bak-TIR-ee-um. The American pronunciation is /bækˈtɪriəm/. In British English it is /bækˈtɪərɪəm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bacterium?
Bacterium has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TIR). Broken into parts: bak · TIR · ee · um.
Is bacterium pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. American English uses 4 syllables and British English 3. The British form is /bækˈtɪərɪəm/ (bak-TEER-reerm).