2 syllables: Cal, lus. Stress on Cal.
KAL-uhs
/ˈkæləs/
Callus is pronounced KAL-uhs (/ˈkæləs/). It has two syllables (Cal-lus), with the stress on "Cal". Callus (or callus) is a noun referring to a thickened, hardened area of skin that forms in response to repeated friction or pressure. In biology, it denotes a similar hardened tissue that can develop under certain conditions. The term also appears in botany to describe a hardened, scar-like patch on seeds or plant surfaces. The preferred spelling varies by region and context.
nounCallus (or callus) is a noun referring to a thickened, hardened area of skin that forms in response to repeated friction or pressure. In biology, it denotes a similar hardened tissue that can develop under certain conditions. The term also appears in botany to describe a hardened, scar-like patch on seeds or plant surfaces. The preferred spelling varies by region and context.
How to Pronounce Callus
"The athlete developed a thick callus on the heel after months of running."
"Farmers rubbed the seeds to remove the outer layer and revealed a white callus underneath."
"Some plants form a callus at the wound site as part of healing."
Pronounced CAH-lus in US and UK practice, with the primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US/UK: /ˈkæləs/. In rapid speech, the second syllable can be reduced to a schwa, but the first syllable remains clearly stressed. For audio reference, imagine the start of ‘cat’ plus ‘lus’ as in ‘lus’ from “luster” without extra syllable. Listen to medical dictionaries or Forvo to hear tissue-context usage.
Common errors: (1) pronouncing it as /ˈkoʊləs/ or /ˈkɔːləs/ with a long o sound; (2) misplacing stress, saying CAH-luhs or ca- lus with weak first syllable; (3) confusing with ‘callous’ /ˈkæl əs/ in some contexts. Correction: keep /ˈkæləs/ with short a as in ‘cat’ for the first syllable, and avoid vowel lengthening. Focus on crisp /æ/ in the first syllable and a clear schwa or reduced second syllable. Also be mindful of linking in fast speech.
In US/UK, the primary stress remains on the first syllable: /ˈkæləs/. UK speakers may more distinctly pronounce the /æ/; US tends toward a slightly flatter /æ/ in rapid speech. Australian English also uses /ˈkæləs/ but may show a more centralized or reduced second syllable and less r-colored vowel in related words. Overall rhoticity doesn’t affect this word significantly, and the vowel quality stays close to /æ/.
Difficulties arise from the short, tense /æ/ vowel in the first syllable and the rapid, unstressed second syllable; speakers often mispronounce the second syllable as /oʊ/ or /ɔː/ or overly emphasize the second syllable. The transition between /æ/ and /ə/ (schwa) can be challenging in connected speech. Practicing with minimal pairs and slow, deliberate articulation helps lock the correct sound.
A word-specific nuance is that callus sometimes appears in compound terms like plantar callus or callus tissue; the root remains consistent. There is no silent letter in classic pronunciation. The emphasis stays on the first syllable, and the second syllable reduces to a light schwa in fluent speech, which is a distinct feature you can monitor with recording and feedback.
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Callus derives from Late Latin callosus, meaning “thick-skinned” or “hard,” from Greek kallos meaning “beauty” in some senses or from the root kallein meaning “to be hard, thick.” The term entered medical vocabulary via Latin in the 16th century to describe a thickened skin or tissue. In botany, callus has been used to describe a healing outgrowth on plant tissues and seeds, extending to an overarching sense of a hardened or protective patch. The modern sense in human anatomy—thickened skin from friction or pressure—emerged as medical science refined descriptions of integumentary responses. The spelling variants callus and callous reflect shifts in pronunciation and regional usage, with “callus” commonly used in medical contexts in American English, while “callus” and “callous” are both found in British usage, though “callous” more often denotes a lack of pity in figurative language. First known usages appear in medical texts of the 17th–18th centuries, codifying the term’s acceptance in anatomy and plant biology. Modern usage keeps the two predominant senses distinct but notes overlap in everyday language where “calluses” form as a protective adaptation, while “callous” describes emotional insensitivity.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Callus" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Callus" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Callus"
-lus sounds
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