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Science Terms People Stumble On

From the classroom to the news — scientific words worth saying with confidence.

EulerOY-ler

Mathematician Leonhard Euler — not "YOO-ler".

nicheNEESH

An ecological niche, same word as the fashion sense.

genreZHAHN-ruh

French loanword — the middle sound is unusual in English.

genomeJEE-nohm

Soft G, long E.

mitochondriamy-toh-KON-dree-uh

The cell's powerhouse — five syllables.

isotopeEYE-suh-tohp

Not "IH-so-tope".

epitomeih-PIT-uh-mee

The final E is pronounced — appears in science writing often.

cacheKASH

Used in computer science the same way as in French.

quasarKWAY-zar

Not "KWAH-zar".

nuclearNOO-klee-er

The most contested word in physics classrooms.

hierarchyHY-er-ar-kee

Four syllables, not three.

phenomenonfuh-NOM-uh-non

Stress the second syllable.

More mispronounced word lists

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