It sounds like a k because c is hard before u
hard-cThe c of reticulate comes before a u and so it is hard. It sounds exactly like a k and is not one.
heard asretikulate
spelledreticulate
saidri-TIK-yuu-lut
reticulate, with a c.
C has two jobs in English and the following letter decides which one it does. Before e, i or y it goes soft; before a, o, u or a consonant it is a k sound. Reticulate has a u after its c, so the c is hard and completely inaudible as a c. Retikulate writes down the sound with total accuracy and the wrong letter.
The rest of the net
ruticulate reticculate reticulete raticulate reticulute retticulate
The complete set is one click away. All 11 spellings of reticulate.