Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

actin

/ˈæktɪn/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.14 in modern English

Syllables: actin
IPA: /ˈæktɪn/

7

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A globular structural protein that polymerizes in a helical fashion to form an actin filament (or microfilament).

Uncountable

noun

One of the six isoforms of actin.

Countable

Example Sentences

"2012, Elaine N. Marieb & Katja Hoehn, Human Anatomy & Physiology, 8th ed., chapter 9 "Muscles and Muscle Tissue", page 281. Actin has kidney-shaped polypeptide subunits, called globular actin or G actin, which bear the active sites to which the myosin heads attach during contraction."

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀκτίς (aktís, “ray”), based on the shape of the filament formed, + -in.

Origin

Source language: Ancient Greek

Word Breakdown

Root: ἀκτίς
Suffix: in

Usage

Inflected Forms

actins (plural)

Derived Forms

actinic actinin actinofibril actinome actinopathy actomyosin antiactin fibroactin isoactin

Frequently Paired Words

conductin myosin

Rhymes With

acton prolactin

Questions

How do you pronounce actin?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈæktɪn/.
What does actin mean?: A globular structural protein that polymerizes in a helical fashion to form an actin filament (or microfilament).
Where does actin come from?: It is traced to Ancient Greek.

How to pronounce actin

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “actin”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈæktɪn/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “actin”.
Repeat and practice — Say “actin” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.