Sinuses are air-filled cavities within the bones of the face and skull that connect to the nasal passages. They help humidify and filter inhaled air and contribute to voice resonance and facial structure. In medical contexts, they are the paranasal sinuses, often discussed in relation to sinusitis or sinus health.
- You often trip over the two-syllable rhythm; focus on starting strong with /ˈsaɪ/ and reducing the middle vowel to a short /ə/ before the final /sɪz/.- Don't over-articulate the second syllable; keep it light: /nə/ or /nɪ/ depending on accent, then glide to /sɪz/.- Be mindful of the final /z/; keep voicing steady but quick; avoid ending with a harsh /zɪz/.
US: rhotic /r/ is not present here; ensure the first syllable has a clear /aɪ/; UK: more distinct /juː/ in the middle in some speakers; AU: flatter vowels, slight schwa in the middle; IPA notes: US /ˈsaɪ.nə.sɪz/, UK /ˈsaɪ.njuː.zɪz/, AU /ˈsaɪ.nəs.ɪz/.
"The doctor explained how the sinuses drain into the nasal cavity."
"He developed sinusitis after catching a bad cold."
"Her voice sounded unusually resonant due to enlarged sinuses."
"A CT scan showed clear sinuses with no signs of infection."
The term sinuses comes from the Latin sinus, meaning “bay, hollow, bend, or hollow space,” which in turn derives from the Greek sinus/linea meaning a fold or hollow. The medical sense—air-filled cavities in the skull—emerged from early anatomical study in antiquity and the medieval period, with figures like Galen contributing foundational descriptions. The plural form sinuses arose to denote multiple hollow spaces, particularly the maxillary, frontal, ethmoidal, and sphenoidal cavities. Over centuries, understanding evolved from simple hollow spaces to recognizing their physiological roles in humidifying air, lightening the skull, and enhancing voice resonance. In modern anatomy, sinuses are studied as paranasal sinuses and are commonly linked to topics like sinusitis, drainage pathways (ostia), and mucociliary clearance. First known usage in English dates to the 17th century in medical texts, aligning with the maturation of anatomical nomenclature and a shift toward precise cranial localization of structures. Today, the word is ubiquitous in medical, dental, and ENT discussions, reflecting both historical curiosity and clinical relevance.
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Words that rhyme with "Sinuses"
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronunciation: SI-ny-əs-es? The standard US/UK/AU form is /ˈsaɪ.nə.sɪz/ in US and /ˈsaɪ.njuː.zɪz/ in some UK accents; but your current reference, /ˈsɪn.juːzɪz/, reflects a variation with /ɪ/ in the first syllable and a /j/ yod-like glide before the second syllable. Core guidance: stress the first syllable with a long /aɪ/ vowel, then a schwa-like or reduced /ə/ in the second syllable, finishing with /zɪz/. Audio reference: [pronunciation sample you can listen to in Pronounce or Forvo].IPA US: /ˈsaɪ.nə.sɪz/; UK: /ˈsaɪ.njuː.zɪz/; AU: /ˈsaɪ.nəs.ɪz/.
Common errors include reducing the first syllable to a short /ɪ/ or /sɪn/ instead of /ˈsaɪ/ and turning the second syllable into a full /juː/ or misplacing the /j/ glide. Another mistake is pronouncing the final cluster as /zɪz/ with heavy voicing throughout, instead of the lighter, quick /zɪz/. Practice by isolating each segment: /ˈsaɪ/ then /nə/ then /sɪz/, then blend. Using minimal pairs helps: sine/sin, nyu/nyuː, etc.
In US English, you typically hear /ˈsaɪ.nə.sɪz/ with a rhotic, clear /ɹ/ not present, and the second syllable reduced to /nə/. UK English often shows /ˈsaɪ.njuː.zɪz/ with an explicit /njuː/ in the second syllable and less reduction of the first syllable. Australian English commonly features a flatter vowel in the first syllable and a more centralized vowel in the second, e.g., /ˈsaɪ.nəs.ɪz/. Links to dialect guides and pronunciation apps can help compare.
Two main challenges: the two-syllable rhythm with a long first vowel can trip speakers who expect a simpler /ɪ/ sound, and the /nə/ vs /njuː/ transition in the middle can be tricky when native language lacks a strong mid- syllabic glide. The final /zɪz/ requires precise voicing and a quick, soft ending. Stress placement on the first syllable is essential for naturalness and intelligibility.
Question: Do you pronounce the middle consonant cluster as /nɪ/ or /nəz/? Answer: In careful speech you’ll typically hear /ˈsaɪ.nə.sɪz/ with an unstressed /ə/ and a consonant cluster /sɪz/ at the end; the middle /n/ is a clear, voiced nasal, while the second vowel reduces to schwa-like /ə/ before the final /sɪz/.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Sinuses"!
- Shadowing: imitate a slow-to-normal delivery of /ˈsaɪ.nə.sɪz/ then gradually accelerate;- Minimal pairs: sin/sin, sigh/sighs, noses/knows;- Rhythm: practice 1-2-3 beat;- Stress: ensure primary stress on first syllable;- Recording: compare your audio with a native reference;- Context practice: Say two sentences with calm pace and a faster clinical report style.
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