4 syllables: ac, ne vul, ga, ris. Stress on ac.
AK-nee-vuhl-gur-is
/ˈækni vʌlɡɚɪs/
Acne Vulgaris is pronounced AK-nee-vuhl-gur-is (/ˈækni vʌlɡɚɪs/). It has four syllables (ac-ne vul-ga-ris), with the stress on "ac". Acne vulgaris is a common skin condition characterized by inflamed and noninflammatory lesions, including blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and cysts. It predominantly affects adolescents and young adults but can persist into later life. The term combines a biomedical descriptor with the clinical name for adult or adolescent acne.
nounAcne vulgaris is a common skin condition characterized by inflamed and noninflammatory lesions, including blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and cysts. It predominantly affects adolescents and young adults but can persist into later life. The term combines a biomedical descriptor with the clinical name for adult or adolescent acne.
"The dermatologist diagnosed acne vulgaris and recommended a topical retinoid."
"She documented her acne vulgaris history in the patient chart."
"Acne vulgaris can cause scarring if not treated early."
Break it as /ˈæk.ni/ for Acne and /ˈvʌl.ɡa.rɪs/ for Vulgaris. Stress on the first syllable of each word: AC-ne VUL-ga-ris. Practise the two-word phrase fluidly, pausing slightly between them but keeping it a single breath group. Listen to native pronunciation: try audio dictionaries for a native reference, then mimic mouth positions: lips relaxed for /æ/, tip of tongue near the lower teeth, and the tongue body high for /ɡ/ in vulgaris.
Common errors: misplacing stress by pronouncing /ˈæk.ni/ as /ˈæk.nɛ/ or /ˈæk.ni/ with a reduced second syllable; mispronouncing /ˈvʌl.ɡa.rɪs/ as /ˈvɝ.lə.ɡe.rɪs/ or flattening the /ɡ/ to /dʒ/; or linking the words too tightly, causing /ˈæk.ni ˈvʌl.ɡa.rɪs/ to blur into /ˈæk.niˈvʌl.ɡa.rɪs/. Focus on clear individual word stress and the subtle /ɡ/ rather than a soft /j/ or /d/.
In US English, /ˈæk.ni/ and /ˈvʌl.ɡə.rɪs/ with rhotic /r/ sound; in UK English, /ˈæk.ni/ and /ˈvʌl.ɡə.rɪs/ with non-rhotic /r/ (often weaker or only before a vowel); in Australian English, /ˈækn̩/ or /ˈæk.ni/ with non-rhotic tendencies and slightly different vowel quality, often with a broader /ɐ/ in the second syllable. All maintain primary stress on the first syllable of each word; coarticulation differs subtly by vowel quality and /l/ and /ɡ/ readiness. IPA references: US /ˈæk.ni ˈvʌl.ɡə.rɪs/, UK /ˈæk.ni ˈvʌl.ɡə.rɪs/, AU /ˈæk.ni ˈvʌl.ɡə.rɪs/.
Two main challenges: the multi-syllabic compound with similar-looking clusters and the intervocalic /l/ plus /ɡ/ transitions in /vulgaris/. The 'vul' cluster has a bilabial-velar transition, and the unstressed second syllable of vulgaris can become compressed in casual speech. Mastery requires practicing clean /l/ and /ɡ/ articulation, and separating the two words clearly with a light pause, ensuring the /æ/ in /ˈæk.ni/ remains open. IPA reminders: /ˈæk.ni/ /ˈvʌl.ɡə.rɪs/.
There are no silent letters in standard pronunciations of acne vulgaris. Each syllable carries sound: /ˈæk.ni/ has full vowel sounds in both syllables, and /ˈvʌl.ɡə.rɪs/ pronounces all segments, though the /ə/ in vulgaris may be reduced in fast speech. The consonants /k/, /n/ in acne and /v/, /l/, /ɡ/, /r/, /s/ in vulgaris are all pronounced. Focus on enunciating each phoneme clearly for accurate delivery.
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Acne vulgaris derives from Latin: acne meaning ‘spot, eruption’ or ‘bladder-like lesion’, from a Proto-Italic root *ak-/akno-, related to beak or point; vulgaris means ‘common’ in Latin, from volgus ‘the common people’ and later ‘common, ordinary’. The term acne has Medieval Latin origins and appeared in medical texts around the 16th–17th centuries, referring broadly to facial eruptions. Vulgaris entered medical Latin in the 18th–19th centuries as a descriptor to distinguish common acne from other dermatologic conditions with similar presentations. The combination acne vulgaris thus literally means ‘common eruption’ of the skin, used since the early modern period to denote the typical acne seen in adolescents. Over time, the term has become a standard diagnosis in dermatology with well-established clinical criteria and treatment pathways. First known use in English medical literature traces to the 1600s, with growth in usage aligning to advances in dermatologic taxonomy and PubMed-era standardization in the 20th century, reflecting a stable, widely recognized condition rather than a historical variant of skin disease.
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Words that rhyme with "Acne Vulgaris"
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