4 syllables: clav, i, cu, lar. Stress on clav.
KLAV-ik-yuh-lur
/ˈklævɪkjəlɚ/
clavicular is pronounced KLAV-ik-yuh-lur (/ˈklævɪkjəlɚ/). It has four syllables (clav-i-cu-lar), with the stress on "clav". Clavicular is an anatomical adjective relating to the clavicle (collarbone). It is used to describe things connected with, or located near, the clavicle, such as clavicular muscles or movements. The term often appears in medical or anatomical contexts to specify location or relation to the collarbone.
Clavicular is an anatomical adjective relating to the clavicle (collarbone). It is used to describe things connected with, or located near, the clavicle, such as clavicular muscles or movements. The term often appears in medical or anatomical contexts to specify location or relation to the collarbone.
- You’ll often mispronounce the /klæ/ or /klæv/ onset, softening the consonant blend or misplacing stress. Ensure you start strong on CLAV- and don’t drop the initial consonant cluster. - The middle /kj/ transition is easy to slur into /tʃ/ or into /k/; keep the /k/ and /j/ together as /kj/ and move to the vowel /ɪ/ smoothly. - Final unstressed -lar or -ler endings are often over-pronounced; reduce to /lər/ or /lɚ/ in US, /lə/ in UK. - Frequent error: stressing the last syllable; you should stress the initial syllable. - In connected speech, the word can blur with nearby words ending in -ar; practice with phrases to maintain clean boundary.
"The clavicular region was examined for signs of injury."
"Clavicular tears are common in athletes who perform heavy shoulder motions."
"She noted a clavicular tenderness after the fall."
Phonetically: /ˈklævɪkjələr/ (US) or /ˈklævɪkjʊlə/ (UK). Stress on the first syllable CLAV-, followed by -i-cu-, and a schwa-lar ending. The sequence is CLAV-ih-kyoo-lər, with the middle vowel being a short i in most accents and a reduced final -er. Tip: keep the /kv/ blend crisp after /Kl/; the second syllable reduces to /ɪ/ and the final syllable is a weak, unstressed -lər.
Common mistakes include: 1) misplacing stress, saying /ˈklævɪkjɚ/ with an unstressed final syllable; 2) confusing the /kv/ cluster, producing /klv/ or mispronouncing the /kj/ as /tʃ/; 3) pronouncing the -ar as a hard /ɑr/ instead of a reduced /ə/ often heard in fast speech. Correction: emphasize first syllable with clear /klæv/ or /klæv/, keep /kv/ together, render the middle as /ɪ/ or /ɪk/ without a full vowel; finish with a weak final /lər/ (American) or /lə/ (British) and avoid extra syllables.
US: /ˈklævɪkjələr/ with a rhotacized or reduced final -ər; UK: /ˈklævɪkjʊlə/ with a longer, clearer /ju/ in the second syllable and a non-rhotic末 ending; AU: similar to UK but with a slightly flatter vowel in the first syllable and a more centralized final /ə/; all share the /klæv/ onset, /ɪk/ or /ɪkjʊ/ medial, and a light /lər/ tail. Note that vowels may shift toward /æ/ (US) vs /æ/ toyed with /eɪ/ in some speakers; the main contrast is rhotics and vowel length.
Its difficulty stems from the consonant cluster /kv/ immediately after the initial /kl/ and the /kj/ palatalization that moves into a light, unstressed -ar ending. The sequence /klæv-ɪk-/ requires precise tongue blade positioning for /l/ and /v/, followed by a palatal onset /kj/. The final -ər/-ə/ is reduced in casual speech, which can mask the syllable boundary. Practice: isolate /klæv/ then attach /ɪkjʊlə/ slowly, then blend.
The word uniquely combines a strong first syllable with a palatal onset in the third segment /kj/ and a final unstressed schwa-like ending. The unusual combination of a hard /kl/ onset with a /kj/ sequence during the transition from /k/ to /j/ can trip up speakers unfamiliar with Latin-derived medical terms. Paying attention to the /ɪk/ bridge and keeping the final -lər light helps maintain natural prosody.
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- US: emphasize first syllable with /ˈklævɪkjələr/; rhotic ending is common, so the final /ər/ is pronounced with a hint of /ɹ/ when linking, but often reduced to /ɚ/. - UK: non-rhotic, so final /ə/ or /lə/ is less rhotic; maintain /klævɪkjʊlə/ with a clearer /j/ before the final vowel. - AU: similar to UK but with more centralized vowels; watch for less pronounced /ɹ/ in final position; keep /klævɪkjuːlə/ where /ju/ is clearly articulated. - Vowel length and quality: US often has a shorter first vowel; UK longer; use IPA cues to keep distinct /æ/ vs /æ/ near-open front vowel. - Practice tongue positions: blade of tongue near alveolar ridge for /l/; lips slightly rounded to accommodate /v/; back of tongue raised for /kj/; jaw should stay relaxed but stable.
Clavicular comes from the Latin clavicula, meaning “little key” or “clavicle,” diminutive of gladius “sword” metaphorically; the clavicle bone resembles a tiny key in its shape. The suffix -ar comes from Latin -arius, forming adjectives related to a noun. The term entered English medical lexicon via Latin anatomical descriptors used from the Renaissance onward, aligning with other bone-related terms (e.g., tubercular, vertebral). Its precise medical usage to denote ‘of the clavicle’ gained traction in anatomical texts as surgeons and anatomists standardized regional terminology for body parts. First documented uses appear in 16th–18th century surgical and anatomical treatises, where Latinized descriptors were common to describe bone relationships, muscle origins, and ligament attachments. Over time, clavicular expanded from a specific bone descriptor to broader anatomical contexts, particularly in musculoskeletal descriptions, radiology reports, and descriptive anatomy alongside terms like “clavicular head” of muscles and “clavicular fracture.” The evolution mirrors the general shift toward descriptive morphology in medicine, enabling precise communication about location and orientation, especially in surgical planning and imaging analysis.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "clavicular" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "clavicular"
-lar sounds
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