Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis. It is performed for medical, religious, or cultural reasons, and the term can also refer to the procedure itself or the resulting condition. The word emphasizes the act of cutting around the glans to alter the foreskin anatomy with various cultural practices.
- Not fully voicing the /ɜːr/ or /ɜː/ in the initial syllable; this yields a flatter, less distinct onset. Solution: exaggerate the /ɜːr/ (US /ɜr/) by curling the tongue slightly toward the center while keeping the lips relaxed. - Weak /s/ sound before /ɪʃn/: readers often merge /s/ and /ɪ/ or pronounce /ɪʃn/ as /ɪs/; practice slow: /sɜːrkəmˈsɪʃn/ and hold the /s/ clearly before /ɪ/. - Stress misplacement (putting emphasis on the wrong syllable): drill the rhythm as /ˌsɜːr.kəmˈsɪʃn/ and use clapping to lock the pattern. - Slurred /k/ and /m/: keep a small vowel between /k/ and /m/ by producing /kə/ rather than /km/.
US: rhotic /˜ɜr/ onset; more pronounced r-coloring, slightly longer diphthong in /ɜːr/. UK: non-rhotic or weak rhoticity, shorter /ɜː/ in /ˈsəːkəm/. AU: balanced rhotic with flatter /ɜ/ and less vowel height variation. Vowels: /ɜː/ or /ɜr/ in stressed syllable; /ə/ in the schwa of /kə/; /ɪ/ in /sɪʃn/. Consonants: crisp /s/ before /ɪ/; clear /ʃ/ sequences. IPA references: US /ˌsɜːrkəmˈsɪʃn/; UK /ˌsəːkəmˈsɪʃn/; AU /ˌsɜːkəmˈsɪʃn/.
"The physician discussed the potential benefits and risks of circumcision with the patient and family."
"Different ethnic and religious communities have diverse rituals surrounding circumcision."
"Medical guidelines recommend proper hygiene before and after circumcision."
"In some regions, circumcision rates have fluctuated due to public health campaigns and cultural norms."
Circumcision derives from Latin circumcidere, composed of circum- meaning about or around, and caedere meaning to cut. The form circumcidere appeared in late Latin as a verb meaning to cut around. The noun circumcisio evolved in Medieval Latin to denote the act of cutting around, specifically the removal of the foreskin, in Christian and medical texts. In English, the noun circumcision shows up by the 14th–15th centuries, often in religious and medical contexts, adopting the modern spelling and pronunciation. The concept existed earlier in various cultures, with practices documented across ancient Egypt, the Middle East, and among certain African and Oceanic societies. The term’s semantic focus shifted from a general cutting around to the specific surgical removal of the foreskin, which shaped modern medical usage. The word’s formal register remains technical and clinical, commonly seen in pediatric, urological, and religious discourse, while colloquial usage sometimes uses shorter forms or circumstantial descriptions such as “the procedure.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Circumcision" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Circumcision" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Circumcision"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Circumcision is pronounced sur-kuh(m)-SIZH-n or sur-kum-SIZH-n, with primary stress on the third syllable: /ˌsɜːrkəmˈsɪʃn/ in US, /ˌsəːkəmˈsɪʃn/ in UK. Start with an initial /ˈsɜːr/ or /ˈsə/ sound, then /kəm/ as a loose syllable, and end with /sɪʃn/. The stress falls on the “sion” component. Listening to medical pronunciation guides can help you hear the subtle ei-oi transitions.
Common errors involve misplacing the stress (saying it as cir-CUM-sion) and slurring the /ɪ/ and /ʃ/ sounds together. Another frequent issue is pronouncing the /k/ and /s/ cluster too softly, resulting in /ˈsɜːrkəmˈzɪʃən/ instead of /ˌsɜːrkəmˈsɪʃn/. Correct by emphasizing the syllable before the final -sion and opening the /ɪ/ vowel briefly before /ʃ/.
In US English, the primary stress is on the third syllable, with a clear /ɪ/ in the penultimate syllable and rhoticity in the /ɜːr/ onset. UK English features a similar structure but with a possibly shorter /ɜː/ vowel and less rhotic influence; AU often mirrors US but with a slightly flatter /ɪ/ and less vocalic reduction. Overall, the /ˈsɜːr/ or /ˈsəːr/ onset and the final /sɪʃn/ remain consistent, while vowel quality and rhoticity shift subtly.
The word packs a consonant cluster and two syllabic stresses in quick succession: /ˌsɜːrkəmˈsɪʃn/. The challenge is quickly moving from the /k/ into the /s/ without vowel leakage, and producing the /ʃ/ immediately before the final /n/. The second syllable /kəm/ often becomes a weak, reduced vowel, so listeners might misplace the stress or slur the /sɪ/ into /ʃn/. Focus on segmenting as /-kəm-ˈsɪʃn/.
Some speakers wonder about the pronunciation of the prefix circum- as in circumcise versus circumcision. The noun retains the -sion ending with /-sɪʃn/, not /-zɪʒən/, which is common in other derivatives like circumcise (/ˈsɜːrkəmˌsaɪz/). The key is keeping the alveolar sibilant /s/ crisp before the /ɪʃn/ sequence.
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- Shadowing: listen to a medical lecture clip and repeat in real time, focusing on /ˈsɜːrkəmˈsɪʃn/. - Minimal pairs: circumcision vs circumcise; separation by the final consonant cluster; practice contrast with /sɪnʃn/ to ensure correct /ʃn/ sequence. - Rhythm practice: tap the syllables as 3 or 4 beats per word, then adjust to natural speech pace. - Stress practice: mark the primary stress with a beat before the last two syllables; practice saying /ˌsɜːrkəmˈsɪʃn/ with a clear final stressed syllable. - Recording: record yourself reading a medical paragraph; compare to reference pronunciations to adjust /ɜːr/ and /ɪʃn/. - Context sentences: 'The surgeon discussed circumcision options.' 'Circumcision rates vary by country and culture.' 'Parents hesitated before consenting to the circumcision.'
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