How to pronounce "greenhouse"

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Transcriber: Translate TED Reviewer: Rhonda Jacobs

Why is the world warming up?

Let's think of Earth for just a moment as a greenhouse.

Every second, a huge amount of energy smashes into our greenhouse.

Our atmosphere, the glass roof and walls,

reflects some of that energy,

but most of it passes right through and heats everything up.

Much of that heat used to escape back into space,

keeping us at a stable, warm temperature.

But then something changed.

Humans began to spew enough carbon dioxide to fill billions of greenhouses each day.

What does all that greenhouse gas do?

It makes the glass of our greenhouse thicker.

Thicker glass means heat escapes into space much more slowly.

And don't forget, energy from the sun

is still streaming in just as quickly as before.

The result is a planet with temperatures too hot for our liking

and, eventually...

living.

[Countdown

Take action on climate change at Countdown.ted.com]

Phonetic Breakdown of "greenhouse"

Learn how to break down "greenhouse" into its phonetic components. Understanding syllables and phonetics helps with pronunciation, spelling, and language learning.

green-house

2 syllables

Standard Phonetic Pronunciation:

/ˈɡɹiːnˌhaʊs/

Phonetic representation based on standard dictionaries

IPA Phonetic Pronunciation:

G R IY1 N HH AW2 S

Standard phonetic transcription to help with precise pronunciation

Pronunciation Tips:

Stress the first syllable
Pay attention to vowel sounds
Practice each syllable separately

Spelling Benefits:

Easier to remember spelling
Helps with word recognition
Improves reading fluency

Definition of "greenhouse"

Pronunciation: /ˈɡɹiːnˌhaʊs/

Noun

A building used to grow plants, particularly one with large glass windows or plastic sheeting to trap heat from sunlight even in intemperate seasons or climates.
The glass of a plane's cockpit.
A structure that shields the operating table to protect against bacteria.
A hot state in global climate.

Synonyms: hothouse

Antonyms: icehouse

Verb

To place (plants) in a greenhouse.
To nurture in order to promote growth.