3 syllables: Abs, cess, es. Stress on Abs.
ABZ-ses-iz
/ˈæbz.sɛs.ɪz/
Abscesses is pronounced ABZ-ses-iz (/ˈæbz.sɛs.ɪz/). It has three syllables (Abs-cess-es), with the stress on "Abs". Abscesses are pockets of pus that form within tissue due to infection, often enclosed by a membrane. They cause localized swelling, pain, and redness, and may require drainage or antibiotic treatment. The plural form refers to more than one such pocket.
nounAbscesses are pockets of pus that form within tissue due to infection, often enclosed by a membrane. They cause localized swelling, pain, and redness, and may require drainage or antibiotic treatment. The plural form refers to more than one such pocket.
How to Pronounce Abscesses
"The patient developed two abscesses on the leg after the wound became infected."
"Medical imaging confirmed several abscesses in the abdominal cavity."
"The dentist treated the abscesses with drainage and a course of antibiotics."
Pronounce as /ˈæb.sɛ.sɪz/ (US) or /ˈab.sɛ.sɪz/ (UK). The primary stress is on the first syllable: ABS-cess-es. The middle syllable features a clear 's' as in 'sess', and the final 'es' sounds like -iz. Tip: deliver a crisp /s/ before the final /ɪz/ to avoid blending into a /z/ sound. You’ll hear the final suffix as a light /ɪz/ in natural speech.
Common errors: 1) Dropping the middle syllable and saying /ˈæbs.əs/ or /ˈæb.sæs/ without the final /ɪz/. 2) Merging into /ˈæb.sɛs/ with a hard /s/ at the end. 3) Misplacing stress, saying /ˌæbˈsɛsɪz/ or /ˈæb.sɛˈsiːz/. Correction: keep the three-syllable rhythm with clear /s/ in the middle and a final weak /ɪz/. Practice by segmenting: ABS-SES-es, then blend.
US tends to have /ˈæb.sɛ.sɪz/ with a fluffy final /ɪz/. UK often shows a slightly shorter /æb.ses.ɪz/ and may reduce the middle vowel slightly. Australian tends to maintain the vowel quality similar to US but with a more clipped overall rhythm and a less prominent final /ɪz/. All share three syllables with primary stress on the first; rhoticity differences show mainly in connected speech, not core vowel quality of the word itself.
The word couples a tricky vowel in the second syllable (/ɛ/ as in 'dress') with a cluster of two 's' sounds and a final /ɪz/ that can blur in fast speech. The three-syllable count plus a light final syllable makes it easy to reduce or misplace stress. Additionally, the medial /s/ clusters can encourage a sibilant distortion if you’re not separating syllables clearly. Focus on separate syllables and a crisp final /ɪz/.
No, there are no silent letters in Abscesses. Each syllable contains an audible sound: the initial /æ/ vowel, the /b/ consonant, the medial /s/ and /s/ sequence forming /sɛ/, and the final /ɪz/ with the z-sound as a voiced sibilant. The spelling reflects the spoken three-syllable pattern ABS-SES-ES, with each part pronounced in connected speech. The confusion often comes from rapid speech where the middle /s/ may blur.
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Abscesses comes from the Latin abscessus, from abscedere meaning to withdraw or go away, with ab- meaning away and -cedere meaning to go. The form abscess entered English via Late Middle English from Old French absces, from Latin abscessus. Originally a medical term referring to a collect/collection of pus within tissue, the word evolved to denote localized areas of infection enclosed by tissue and purulent material. The earliest English uses appear in medical texts from the 15th–16th centuries, reflecting a growing understanding of internal infections and surgical treatment. Over time, pluralization to abscesses followed standard English noun pluralization rules, with the stress pattern shifting in historical usage but now commonly pronounced with secondary stress on the first syllable. Today, abscesses are widely recognized in clinical contexts and everyday medical discussions, with modern management emphasizing drainage, antibiotics, and ventilation of the infected area when appropriate.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Abscesses" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Abscesses" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Abscesses"
-ses sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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