bacteriochlorophyll
Syllables
bac-te-rio-chlor-o-phyll
Pronunciation
/bækˌtɪrioʊˈklɔːrəfɪl/
Stress
001000
Morphemes
bacterio- + chloro- + -phyll
Bacteriochlorophyll is a noun of Greek origin, composed of the prefixes bacterio- and chloro-, and the suffix -phyll. It is divided into six syllables: bac-te-rio-chlor-o-phyll, with primary stress on the third-to-last syllable. Syllabification follows the principles of onset maximization and vowel-based division.
Definitions
- 1
A green pigment found in photosynthetic bacteria.
“Bacteriochlorophyll is essential for the light-harvesting complexes in purple bacteria.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress falls on the third-to-last syllable ('chlor'). The first and second syllables are unstressed, as are the last three.
Syllables
bac — Open syllable, stressed. te — Closed syllable. rio — Open syllable. chlor — Closed syllable. o — Open syllable. phyll — Closed syllable
Word Parts
bacterio-
From Greek *bakterion* meaning 'small stick', referring to bacteria. Indicates origin or association with bacteria.
chloro-
From Greek *khlōros* meaning 'green'. Indicates the green pigment.
-phyll
From Greek *phyllon* meaning 'leaf'. Indicates a leaf-like structure or, in this case, a pigment.
Similar Words
Onset Maximization
Consonant clusters are generally kept together at the beginning of a syllable.
Vowel-Based Division
Syllables are typically divided around vowel sounds.
Avoid Stranded Consonants
Consonants are not left alone to form a syllable.
- The length and complexity of the word, combined with its Greek-derived morphemes, present a challenge for syllabification.
- Potential for division of 'rio' as 'ri-o', but onset maximization favors 'rio'.
Nearby Words
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