4 syllables: An, ti, tuss, ive. Stress on tuss.
an-tit-UHS-iv
/ˌæntɪˈtʌsɪv/
Antitussive is pronounced an-tit-UHS-iv (/ˌæntɪˈtʌsɪv/). It has four syllables (An-ti-tuss-ive), with the stress on "tuss". Antitussive is an adjective describing a medication or substance that suppresses coughing. It is used chiefly in medical contexts to refer to agents that reduce the urge to cough, often by acting on the cough reflex or the nerves involved in coughing. The term is technical, common in pharmacology, and typically appears in clinical notes and drug labels.
adjectiveAntitussive is an adjective describing a medication or substance that suppresses coughing. It is used chiefly in medical contexts to refer to agents that reduce the urge to cough, often by acting on the cough reflex or the nerves involved in coughing. The term is technical, common in pharmacology, and typically appears in clinical notes and drug labels.
"The patient was prescribed an antitussive to ease the night-time cough."
"Antitussive syrup helped minimize coughing during the fever."
"Doctors consider antitussive effects when treating upper respiratory infections."
Pronounce as /ˌæn.tɪˈtʌs.ɪv/ (US/UK) with three syllables: an-ti-TUS-ive. Start with the short a as in cat, then a quick unstressed i, then the stressed TUS syllable where -tus- has a t-s blend and a short u, ending with -ive /ɪv/. Emphasize the second-to-last syllable slightly. For audio reference, look for medical pronunciation resources or dictionary audio entries.
Common errors: misplacing the stress (trying ant- instead of -tus- as the stressed syllable) and mispronouncing the middle vowel as a long /u:/ instead of /ɪ/ in -tiv. Corrections: stress the second-to-last syllable: an-ti-TUS-ive; pronounce the middle syllable with a short /ɪ/ and ensure a crisp final /v/. Also avoid t-s blurriness: keep the /t/ and /s/ as separate sounds rather than a combined /t͡s/ run.
US/UK share /ˌæn.tɪˈtʌs.ɪv/ with rhotic r not involved. In some UK pronunciations, the final -ive may sound as /ɪv/ or reduced to /əv/ in rapid speech; Australian often keeps the same pattern but with slightly rounded vowel qualities in /ɪ/ and /ʌ/ depending on speaker. Overall, the stress timing remains antepenultimate to penultimate, with a clear /t/ and /s/ cluster in the middle. IPA references still guide the core sound.
It combines a consonant cluster around the alveolar /t/ and /s/ in the middle, a mid-short vowel in the second syllable, and a final /ɪv/ or /ɪf/ variation depending on speaker. The secondary stress on -tus- can be easy to overlook, and the sequence /n t ɪ t/ may trigger a hastened articulation. Take time on the second syllable and keep the /t/ and /s/ distinct to avoid slurring.
No letters are fully silent in standard pronunciation. All letters contribute to the three-syllable structure: /ˌæn.tɪˈtʌ.sɪv/. The -ive ending is pronounced as /-ɪv/, not silent. Some rapid speech variants may reduce vowels slightly, but you don’t drop phonemes entirely in careful articulation.
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Antitussive derives from Late Latin antitussivus, from Greek anti- meaning against and tussia meaning cough, with the suffix -ivus forming an adjective. The root tos- (cough) traces through Latin tussis and Greek tupsis, reflecting a long medical lineage. In English, the term appeared in pharmacological literature in the 19th century as medicines targeting the cough reflex were developed. The component anti- signals opposition, while -tussive attaches to tuss- (cough) with the common medical suffix -ive indicating a function or property. Over time, anticonvulsants and analgesics also borrowed similar formation, but antitussive remains specialized to cough suppression. In modern usage, antitussive denotes a class of drugs that reduce coughing, often with additional sedative or respiratory effects, and is widely recognized in clinical guidelines and patient labeling.
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Words that rhyme with "Antitussive"
-rse sounds
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