How to Pronounce Electrophoresis

Electrophoresis is pronounced ee-lek-troh-foh-REE-sis. The stressed syllable is the last one: REE. Say it like you're saying "electric" at the beginning, then add "foh-REE-sis" at the end.

Many people stress the wrong syllable and say ee-lek-TROH-foh-ree-sis (stressing the second syllable), but the correct stress is on the last syllable: ee-lek-troh-foh-REE-sis. Another common mistake is saying it too fast and running the syllables together instead of pronouncing each one clearly.

Electrophoresis has six syllables: e-LEC-tro-pho-RE-sis. Breaking it into smaller chunks can help you say it correctly—try saying "electric" first, then add "pho-REE-sis" to the end.

Electrophoresis comes from two Greek roots: "electro-" means electricity or electric charge, and "-phoresis" means movement or carrying. Put together, the word literally means "movement caused by electricity," which describes exactly what the test does.

Yes, doctors and lab workers often shorten it to just "electrophoresis" when speaking casually, but there's no common single-letter abbreviation like some other medical terms have. You might see it written as "EP" in some medical documents, though this is less common.

The root "-phoresis" shows up in other medical words like "diaphoresis" (excessive sweating) and "electrolysis" (breaking down substances with electricity). The "electro-" root appears in words like "electrocardiogram" (a heart test) and "electrode" (a small electrical device).

You might hear it like this: "The doctor ordered an electrophoresis test to check the patient's protein levels." Or: "In the lab, the scientist used electrophoresis to separate the DNA samples."

Think of it as three parts: "ee-LEK-tro" (like electricity) + "foh-REE-sis" (sounds like "for-ease-us"). Remember that the stress falls on REE—the second-to-last syllable gets a lighter sound, and REE gets the emphasis.