3 syllables: Ci, a, lis. Stress on a.
see-AH-luhs
/ˌsiˈɑləs/
Cialis is pronounced see-AH-luhs (/ˌsiˈɑləs/). It has three syllables (Ci-a-lis), with the stress on "a". Cialis is a brand-name medication (tadalafil) used to treat erectile dysfunction and benign prostatic hyperplasia. It is a proper noun, commonly encountered in medical or pharmaceutical contexts, and pronounced in consumer dialogue as a two-syllable proper noun with stress on the first syllable. The term is widely recognized in clinical literature, marketing, and patient information materials.
nounCialis is a brand-name medication (tadalafil) used to treat erectile dysfunction and benign prostatic hyperplasia. It is a proper noun, commonly encountered in medical or pharmaceutical contexts, and pronounced in consumer dialogue as a two-syllable proper noun with stress on the first syllable. The term is widely recognized in clinical literature, marketing, and patient information materials.
"The doctor prescribed Cialis to help with erectile dysfunction."
"She asked whether Cialis would interact with her current medications."
"Cialis is taken orally, usually once daily or as needed before sexual activity."
Cialis is pronounced as /ˈsiː.li.əs/ in US and UK English, with three syllables and primary stress on the first: SEE-lee-us. Start with a long “ee” vowel, then a light, quick second syllable, and end with a soft schwa-like /ə/ followed by /s/. Mouth-position: lips neutral to slightly spread, tongue high for /iː/, then relax toward the mid-central /ə/. Listen for a crisp first syllable and a gentle, unaccented final /əs/.
Common errors: (1) Slurring to ‘SEE-lee-iss’ with a hard final /s/; (2) Flattening to two syllables, misplacing stress as a second syllable; (3) Using a short /i/ as in ‘sit’ instead of the long /iː/ in the first syllable. Corrections: emphasize the long /iː/ in the first syllable (SEE), keep the second syllable light and avoid gemination of /l/; end with a clear, unstressed /əs/ rather than /əs/ merged. Practice with careful vowel length and final schwa.
In US/UK, /ˈsiː.li.əs/ with a long first vowel and clear /li/. Australian speakers often maintain the same three-syllable pattern but may reduce the middle vowel slightly and have a more relaxed final /ə/ to /ɐ/. Rhoticity doesn’t change the word itself since there’s no /r/; the difference is mainly vowel quality and tempo. Focus on preserving the long /iː/ in all accents, and ensure the final /əs/ has a light, unstressed quality.
The main challenge is the three-syllable structure with a long /iː/ in the first syllable and an unstressed final /əs/, which can blur together in fast speech. Non-native speakers may misplace stress, shorten /iː/ to /ɪ/, or overemphasize the final /s/. Additionally, the brand name form makes it less intuitive than generic tadalafil, so it’s a non-phonetic label that benefits from deliberate practice with IPA guidance.
Cialis contains no silent letters; it’s pronounced with three distinct syllables: /ˈsiː.li.əs/. The challenge lies in keeping the final /əs/ sequence light and not sounding like /s/ or /z/; the ‘li’ should be a clean, separate syllable, not merged with the final /əs/. Ensure mouth remains relaxed through the transition from /iː/ to /l/ to /əs/ to avoid fusion.
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Cialis is a proprietary brand name developed by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. Brand names are coined terms, not built from morphemes of the generic drug tadalafil. The first use of Cialis in marketing materials appears in the early 2000s as the product name for tadalafil when approved by regulatory agencies for erectile dysfunction and later for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The word does not derive from Latin or Greek roots in its marketed form; rather, it is a crafted, memorable label designed to be easy to pronounce in multiple languages. The name’s phonetic simplicity—two syllables with a strong first syllable—was selected to be recognizable across international markets, aligning with marketing strategies for global pharmaceuticals. Over time, Cialis has become the canonical way to refer to tadalafil in clinical discussions and patient communications, while generic tadalafil remains the pharmacological term. The first known public usage emerged in pharmaceutical advertisements and labeling surrounding the drug’s regulatory approvals, with the name quickly entering common parlance among patients and healthcare providers.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Cialis" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Cialis"
-lis sounds
-me) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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