6 syllables: A, de, noid, ec, to, my. Stress on noid.
ad-in-OY-dek-tuh-mee
/ædɪˈnɔɪdɛktəmi/
Adenoidectomy is pronounced ad-in-OY-dek-tuh-mee (/ædɪˈnɔɪdɛktəmi/). It has six syllables (A-de-noid-ec-to-my), with the stress on "noid". Adenoidectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the adenoids, often performed to treat chronic throat infections or breathing obstructions. The term denotes the operation itself and is used in medical contexts by surgeons and clinicians. It is a specialist noun, typically encountered in otolaryngology and pediatric care discussions.
nounAdenoidectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the adenoids, often performed to treat chronic throat infections or breathing obstructions. The term denotes the operation itself and is used in medical contexts by surgeons and clinicians. It is a specialist noun, typically encountered in otolaryngology and pediatric care discussions.
- You often say /ˌæˈdɛnɔɪdɛkˌtoʊmi/; fix by aligning syllable boundaries: /ˌæ.dɪˈnɔɪ.dɛk.tə.mi/. - Don’t reduce /ɔɪ/ to /ɔ/; practice the diphthong in noy as /ɔɪ/. - Don’t stack syllables: keep each part crisp; avoid running together ‘noid’ and ‘ek’. Practice with slow progression, then speed.
"The patient underwent an adenoidectomy to alleviate obstructive sleep symptoms."
"Postoperative recovery after an adenoidectomy was uneventful in most cases."
"The resident discussed potential complications of an adenoidectomy with the family."
Break it as a four-syllable word with primary stress on the fourth syllable: /ˌæ.dəˈnɔɪ.dɛk.tə.mi/ or more precisely /ˌæ.dɪˈnɔɪ.dɛk.tə.mi/. Emphasize the middle ‘noid’ part and keep the “dek” syllable crisp. Mouth position starts with a relaxed /æ/ in the first syllable, moves to a tense /ɔɪ/ in the stressed third syllable, and ends with a clear /mi/. In practice, you can say: a-DE-noy-DEC-to- my, with the main stress on the 'dɛk' syllable.
Two common errors: misplacing stress on the second or third syllable (say ad-É-noy-DET-e-mee or a-de-NOY-dek-TO-me). Another frequent issue is flattening the /ɔɪ/ diphthong to a simple /ɔ/ or /aɪ/. Correct by maintaining the diphthong in noy as /ɔɪ/ and placing primary stress on the /dɛk/ syllable. Practice with a slow, deliberate cadence: /ˌæ.dɪˈnɔɪ.dɛk.tə.mi/ and then speed up while preserving the diphthong integrity and final /mi/.
US typically articulates as /ˌæ.dɪˈnɔɪ.dɛk.tə.mi/ with a rhotic /r/ unclear here; UK often reduces the first syllable slightly and may reduce the second vowel to /ɒ/ in rapid speech: /ˌæ.dɪˈnɔɪ.dɛk.tə.mi/. Australian tends to maintain similar vowel qualities to UK but with a flatter intonation and less vowel reduction in connected speech. The key differences center on vowel quality in the nucleus of the second and third syllables and rhythm/tone, not the consonant set. Stress remains near the 3rd or 4th syllable depending on speaker.
The long, multi-syllabic form forces accurate segmentation: ad-e-noid-et-o-my. The /ɔɪ/ diphthong in noy is a common stumble, as is maintaining the final /mi/ with a light, quick ending. Also, the cluster /dɛn/ and /dɛk/ can trip you up if you rush. A practical fix is to practice syllable-by-syllable with a steady pace, emphasizing the /ɔɪ/ diphthong and the final /mi/.
There are no silent letters in standard pronunciation, but you may encounter a subtle stress shift in rapid medical speech, especially in patient communications where clinicians stress the final- or near-final syllable for clarity: adeno-ID-ectomy vs. a-DE-nô-id-ectomy; the primary, stable form places stress on the penultimate or antepenultimate segment depending on speaker. In careful speech, keep every syllable audible: /ˌæ.dɪˈnɔɪ.dɛk.tə.mi/.
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- US: rhoticity is natural but keep r-lessness in vowels; /ɔɪ/ preserved; - UK: more clipped vowels; /ɔɪ/ remains; - AU: similar to UK; softer intonation; practice with IPA guides: /ˌæ.dɪˈnɔɪ.dɛk.tə.mi/.
Adenoidectomy derives from Greek adeno- meaning gland (aden-), oid meaning resembling, and -ectomy meaning surgical removal. The root adeno- comes from adenoides, which itself traces to Greek adenos meaning gland, used to describe the pharyngeal tonsils. The suffix -oid means 'like' or 'resembling,' and -ectomy denotes surgical excision. The term evolved in medical Latin and English to specify the removal of pharyngeal tonsils (adenoids) when symptomatic hypertrophy caused obstruction or infection. First attested in the late 19th to early 20th centuries as ENT terminology matured with surgical innovations. Over time, adenectomy terms for related tissues expanded, but aden o i d e c t o m y remained the standard for adenoids removal, particularly in pediatric ENT literature and surgical reports.
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