5 syllables: Che, mo, ther, a, py. Stress on ther.
kee-moh-THER-uh-pee
/ˌkimoʊˈθɛɹəpi/
Chemotherapy is pronounced kee-moh-THER-uh-pee (/ˌkimoʊˈθɛɹəpi/). It has five syllables (Che-mo-ther-a-py), with the stress on "ther". Chemotherapy is a medical treatment that uses chemical substances, typically cytotoxic or targeted drugs, to treat cancer by destroying or slowing the growth of malignant cells. It is often administered systemically or regionally and may be given in cycles, sometimes alongside other therapies such as surgery or radiation. The term can refer to the drugs themselves or the overall treatment course.
nounChemotherapy is a medical treatment that uses chemical substances, typically cytotoxic or targeted drugs, to treat cancer by destroying or slowing the growth of malignant cells. It is often administered systemically or regionally and may be given in cycles, sometimes alongside other therapies such as surgery or radiation. The term can refer to the drugs themselves or the overall treatment course.
"The patient underwent several cycles of chemotherapy over six months."
"Researchers are developing chemotherapy regimens with fewer side effects."
"Chemotherapy can be combined with radiotherapy for more effective cancer control."
Chemotherapy is pronounced kiː-moʊ-ˈθer-ə-pi in US and kiːˈmɒθ-ə-rə-pɪ in UK/ AU variants with slight vowel differences. Emphasize the third syllable -θer- (thair) with a clear 'thet' sound, then -a- before -py. Mouth position: start with a
Common errors include flattening the middle syllable so it becomes chem-mo-the-rapy or misplacing stress on the -ther- portion. Another is mispronouncing the initial 'che' as 'chi' or 'kee-'. Correct by isolating syllables: CHE-mo-THER-a-py; ensure the 'ther' sounds like 'ther' in 'therapy' with clear dental 'th' and a short /ɛ/ vowel. Practice with slow enunciated syllables before blending.
In US English, emphasize the 'THER' with /ˈθɛr/ and a clear 'ee' ending in -py. UK/AU tend to use a slightly different vowel in the first syllable (closer to /ɒ/ or /ɪ/ depending on speaker) and may reduce the final vowel slightly, but still retain four syllables with the same stress pattern. Rhoticity in US may add a subtle 'r' coloring that is less pronounced in non-rhotic UK accents. Overall, the core is /kiː-moʊ-ˈθɛr.ə.pi/ (US) vs /ˌkɛm.ɒ.ðəˈriː.ə/ or /ˌkɛm.əˈθɒr.ə.pi/ variations for UK/AU.
The difficulty lies in the sequence of syllables with a cluster around the dental fricative /θ/ in -ther- and the combination of unstressed vowels in -a- and -phy. The four-syllable structure can create rapid transitions: ki-mo-THER-a-py. The contrast between the 'mo' and 'ther' vowels, plus the final 'py' with a short /i/ vowel, challenges non-native speakers. Practice by isolating each syllable, then linking with deliberate pace to maintain accurate /θ/ and /ɪ/ or /i/ sounds.
In natural speech, the word retains four syllables: chem-o-THER-a-py, with the primary stress on the -THER- syllable. The -a- in the third syllable is typically a reduced vowel or schwa-like sound (ə), depending on speaker and tempo. The final -py is a short, unstressed -pi. In careful pronunciation you’ll hear each syllable clearly, but in fast clinical conversations you may hear a slight blending: chem-o-THER-ə-py, still four distinct beats. IPA reference: US kiː-moʊ-ˈθɛr-ə-pi.
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Chemotherapy derives from the Greek words kheima (khai- mee- a) meaning ‘pour’ or ‘deposit’ and therapy from the Greek therapeia meaning ‘healing’ or ‘medical treatment,’ combined with the chemical-suffix - chemotherapy from chem- (chemical) and -therapy (treatment). The term first appeared in the early 20th century as scientists began using chemical agents to treat diseases like cancer; however, the modern oncologic sense solidified in the 1940s–1950s with the advent of nitrogen mustard–based regimens. The prefix chem- reflects the chemical nature of the agents, while -therapy indicates the therapeutic approach. Today, chemotherapy encompasses cytotoxic chemotherapy agents, targeted chemotherapies, and combination regimens used in multi-modality cancer care.
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Words that rhyme with "Chemotherapy"
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