Pronunciation

How to pronounce “protein

“protein” is pronounced /ˈpɹoʊˌtin/ (PROH-teen) in American English and /pɹəʊtiːn/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “prot”.
The sound

Say “protein” in 2 beats

Say it like this

protein

/ˈpɹoʊˌtin/

The voice you hear here is American; the British form is /pɹəʊtiːn/ (see the table below), and a British voice is available in the app's settings.

2 beats
  1. protpɹoʊstress
  2. eintin
IPA (American)
/ˈpɹoʊˌtin/
IPA (British)
/pɹəʊtiːn/
Respelling
PROH-teen
Syllables
2 — PROT-ein
Stress
Stress the first syllable: PROT-ein. “prot” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.
Part of speech
noun
Difficulty
Beginner — most learners get this on the first take
Accents

American and British are not the same here

American

/ˈpɹoʊˌtin/

British

/pɹəʊtiːn/

No audio here: sayit’s voice is American, so a British button would play the American word. Read the transcription instead.

Meaning

What “protein” means

  1. noun

    any of a large group of nitrogenous organic compounds that are essential constituents of living cells; consist of polymers of amino acids; essential in the diet of animals for growth and for repair of tissues; can be obtained from meat and eggs and milk and legumes

    a diet high in protein

Say it in a sentence

Beans are a cheap source of protein and keep very well.
Sound by sound

The sounds inside this word

6 sounds, in the order you say them

Each sound has its own page: where the tongue goes, what it is usually confused with, and words to drill it on.

Questions

protein”, answered

How do you pronounce “protein”?

“protein” is pronounced /ˈpɹoʊˌtin/ (PROH-teen) in American English and /pɹəʊtiːn/ in British English — 2 syllables, stressed on “prot”. Build it as PROT-ein, then run the first syllable a little longer than the rest and let the others reduce.

How many syllables does “protein” have?

2: prot · ein. The beat lands on the first, “prot”.

Is “protein” said differently in British English?

Yes. American English says /ˈpɹoʊˌtin/ (PROH-teen); British English says /pɹəʊtiːn/. Both are correct — choose the accent you are learning and stay inside it.

What does “protein” mean?

As a noun: any of a large group of nitrogenous organic compounds that are essential constituents of living cells; consist of polymers of amino acids; essential in the diet of animals for growth and for repair of tissues; can be obtained from meat and eggs and milk and legumes For example: “a diet high in protein”

Where is the stress in “protein”?

Stress the first syllable: PROT-ein. “prot” is longer, louder and a step higher; the other syllable falls away from it.

Practise this word

Now say “protein” and see every sound

Record it once and sayit lines your audio up against the target sound by sound — what landed, what slipped, and what it sounded like instead.