PRONUNCIATION OF THE CHEMICAL ELEMENTS: A Guide for Students

Students: Be able to correctly pronounce each of the element names.

SYMBOL
Ac
Al
Am
Sb
Ar
As
At
Ba
Bk
Be
Bi
Bh
B
Br
Cd
Ca
Cf
C
Ce
Cs
Cl
Cr
Co
Cu
Cm
Ds
Db
Dy
Es
Er
Eu
Fm
F
Fr
Gd
Ga
Ge
Au
Hf
Hs
He
Ho
H
In
I
Ir
Fe
Kr
La
Lr
Pb
Li
Lu
Mg

ELEMENT NAME
PRONUNCIATION
ACTINIUM...................... ack-TIN-ee-um ("um" rhymes with "gum")
ALUMINUM .................... ah-LOOM-in-um [British: aluminium = al-you-MIN-ee-um]
AMERICIUM ................... AM-ur-RISH-ee-um, AM-er-EE-she-um
ANTIMONY..................... ANT-uh-mo-knee
ARGON .......................... ARE-gone
ARSENIC........................ ARE-suh-nick, ARE-sin-ick
ASTATINE ...................... ASS-tuh-teen, ASS-tuh-TIN
BARIUM ......................... BEAR-ee-um (BURY 'em)
BERKELIUM.................... burr-KEY-lee-um, BURK-lee-um
BERYLLIUM .................... buh-REEL-ee-um
BISMUTH ....................... BIZ-muth
BOHRIUM ...................... BORE-ee-um
BORON .......................... BORE-on
BROMINE....................... BRO-mean ("BRO" rhymes with "go")
CADMIUM ...................... CAD-me-um
CALCIUM ....................... CAL-see-um
CALIFORNIUM................ cal-uh-FOR-nee-um
CARBON ........................ CAR-bun
CERIUM ......................... SEAR-ee-um
CESIUM ......................... SEE-zee-um
CHLORINE ..................... CLOOR-een ("CLOOR" rhymes with "floor")
CHROMIUM.................... CROW-me-um
COBALT ......................... CO-bault ("bault" rhymes with fault)
COPPER ......................... COP-purr
CURIUM......................... CURE-ee-um
DARMSTADTIUM ............ darm-STAAT-ee-um (STAAT rhymes with thought)
DUBNIUM ...................... DUBE-nee-um (DUBE rhymes with tube)
DYSPROSIUM ................. dis-PRO-zee-um, dis-PRO-she-um
EINSTEINIUM................. eine-STY-knee-um ("eine" rhymes with "mine")
ERBIUM ......................... UR-bee-um, ("UR" rhymes with "fur")
EUROPIUM..................... your-ROW-pea-um
FERMIUM....................... FUR-me-um
FLUORINE...................... FLOOR-een
FRANCIUM ..................... FRAN-see-um
GADOLINIUM ................. GAD-el-IN-ee-um
GALLIUM ....................... GAL-ee-um
GERMANIUM .................. jour-MAIN-ee-um ("jour" rhymes with "your")
GOLD ............................ GOLD (rhymes with "sold")
HAFNIUM....................... HALF-nee-um
HASSIUM ....................... HAH-see-um
HELIUM ......................... HE-lee-um
HOLMIUM ...................... HOLE-me-um
HYDROGEN.................... HIGH-druh-gin
INDIUM ......................... IN-dee-um
IODINE.......................... EYE-o-dine, EYE-o-den
IRIDIUM ........................ ih-RID-ee-um
IRON ............................. EYE-urn
KRYPTON....................... CRIP-tawn ("tawn" rhymes with "yawn")
LANTHANUM .................. LAN-thah-num
LAWRENCIUM ................ law-RIN-see-um, lore-RIN-see-um
LEAD ............................. LED
LITHIUM ........................ LITH-ee-um
LUTETIUM ..................... loo-TEE-she-um
MAGNESIUM .................. mag-NEE-zee-um

Mn
Mt
Md
Hg
Mo
Nd
Ne
Np
Ni
Nb
N
No
Os
O
Pd
P
Pt
Pu
Po
K
Pr
Pm
Pa
Ra
Rn
Re
Rh
Rg
Rb
Ru
Rf
Sm
Sc
Sg
Se
Si
Ag
Na
Sr
S
Ta
Tc
Te
Tb
Tl
Th
Tm
Sn
Ti
W
U
V
Xe
Yb
Y
Zn
Zr

MANGANESE .................. MANG-guh-knees ("MANG" rhymes with "bang")

MEITNERIUM ................. mite-NUR-ee-um
MENDELEVIUM ............... men-duh-LAY-vee-um
MERCURY....................... MERK-your-ee
MOLYBDENUM................ muh-LIB-den-um
NEODYMIUM ................... nee-o-DIM-ee-um
NEON.............................. KNEE-on
NEPTUNIUM .................... nep-TUNE-ee-um
NICKEL ........................... NICK-ull ("ull" rhymes with "dull")
NIOBIUM......................... nee-O-bee-um
NITROGEN ...................... NIGH-trah-gin, nigh-TRO-gin
NOBELIUM ...................... no-BELL-ee-um
OSMIUM.......................... OZ-me-um
OXYGEN.......................... OX-eh-gin
PALLADIUM ..................... puh-LAY-dee-um
PHOSPHORUS.................. FOSS-fur-us
PLATINUM....................... PLAT-in-um ("PLAT" rhymes with "flat")
PLUTONIUM .................... plue-TONE-ee-um ("plue" rhymes with "blue")
POLONIUM ...................... puh-LO-nee-um
POTASSIUM..................... poh-TASS-ee-um
PRASEODYMIUM.............. PRAY-zee-o-DIM-ee-um
PROMETHIUM.................. pro-MEETH-ee-um ("MEETH" rhymes with "teeth")
PROTACTINIUM............... PRO-tack-TIN-ee-um
RADIUM .......................... RAY-dee-um
RADON ........................... RAY-don ("don" rhymes with "on")
RHENIUM ........................ REE-nee-um
RHODIUM ....................... ROW-dee-um
ROENTGENIUM................ rent-GUIN-ee-um (guin rhymes with win; guin as in again)
RUBIDIUM....................... roo-BID-ee-um
RUTHENIUM.................... roo-THEE-nee-um
RUTHERFORDIUM............ ruh-thur-FORD-ee-um (ruh-thur rhymes with other)
SAMARIUM ...................... suh-MARE-ee-um ("MARE" rhymes with "care")
SCANDIUM ...................... SCAN-dee-um
SEABORGIUM .................. see-BORG-ee-um
SELENIUM ....................... suh-LEE-nee-um
SILICON.......................... SILL-eh-CON, SILL-eh-ken
SILVER............................ SILL-vurr ("vurr" rhymes with "purr")
SODIUM .......................... SO-dee-um
STRONTIUM .................... STRON-tee-um, STRON-chee-um
SULFUR........................... SULL-fur ("sull" rhymes with "gull")
TANTALUM...................... TAN-tuh-lum
TECHNETIUM .................. teck-NEE-she-um, teck-NEE-shim
TELLURIUM ..................... tuh-LURE-ee-um ("LURE" rhymes with "cure")
TERBIUM ........................ TUR-bee-um ("TUR" rhymes with "fur")
THALLIUM ....................... THAL-ee-um ("THAL" rhymes with "pal")
THORIUM........................ THOR-ee-um ("THOR" rhymes with "sore")
THULIUM ........................ THOOL-ee-um ("THOOL" rhymes with "pool")
TIN ................................. TIN (rhymes with "pin")
TITANIUM ....................... tie-TAY-nee-um
TUNGSTEN ...................... TONGUE-stin ("stin" rhymes with "win")
URANIUM ........................ your-RAY-nee-um
VANADIUM ...................... vuh-NAY-dee-um
XENON............................ ZEE-non
YTTERBIUM..................... it-TOUR-bee-um
YTTRIUM ........................ IT-tree-um
ZINC ............................... zink (rhymes with "think!")
-by D. Phelps, PhD
ZIRCONIUM..................... zir-CONE-ee-um ("zir" rhymes with "sir")