Learn How to Pronounce mercury
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How to pronounce:
mercury
Definition:
(nou) a heavy silvery toxic univalent and bivalent metallic element; the only metal that is liquid at ordinary temperatures (nou) messenger of Jupiter and god of commerce; counterpart of Greek Hermes (nou) the smallest planet and the nearest to the sun (nou) temperature measured by a mercury thermometer
Phonetic Transcription:
ˈmɜːkjʊri
Examples:
Cadmium and mercury are some of the more toxic heavy metals.
These metals are from the mining of gold and the indiscriminate use of mercury.
The exposure to mercury is the problem.
Learn more about:mercury
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Common mistakes of mercury pronunciation
- Incorrect vowel sound: Some may pronounce "mercury" with an incorrect vowel sound, saying "mer-cue-ry" instead of the correct "ˈmɜːr.kjʊ.ri" (UK) or "ˈmɜr.kjər.i" (US). Tip: Focus on the "ɜː" or "ɜr" sound for accuracy.
- Silent letter confusion: People often mispronounce "mercury" by emphasizing the "t" sound, saying "mer-cur-ty." The correct pronunciation is "ˈmɜːr.kjʊ.ri" (UK) or "ˈmɜr.kjər.i" (US). Tip: Remember that there is no "t" in "mercury."
- Stress misplacement: Some learners incorrectly stress the second syllable, saying "mer-CU-ry." The correct stress is on the first syllable: "ˈmɜːr.kjʊ.ri" (UK) or "ˈmɜr.kjər.i" (US). Tip: Practice saying "MER-cury" to get the stress right.
- Over-emphasizing syllables: It's common to over-emphasize the "cu" syllable, resulting in "mer-cur-Y." The correct pronunciation is "ˈmɜːr.kjʊ.ri" (UK) or "ˈmɜr.kjər.i" (US). Tip: Keep the "cu" syllable light and brief.
- Mispronouncing the ending: Some pronounce "mercury" with an unclear ending, saying "mercur-ee." The correct pronunciation ends with "ri," as in "ˈmɜːr.kjʊ.ri" (UK) or "ˈmɜr.kjər.i" (US). Tip: Make sure to clearly pronounce the "ri" sound at the end.