4 syllables: co, lec, to, my. Stress on lec.
koh-LEK-tuh-mee
/koʊˈlɛktəmi/
colectomy is pronounced koh-LEK-tuh-mee (/koʊˈlɛktəmi/). It has four syllables (co-lec-to-my), with the stress on "lec". Colectomy is a surgical procedure involving the removal of all or part of the colon. The term emphasizes colect- (colon) and -ectomy (excision). It is a specialized medical word often used in clinical notes, case discussions, and patient education, typically encountered by advanced students or professionals in gastroenterology and surgery.
Colectomy is a surgical procedure involving the removal of all or part of the colon. The term emphasizes colect- (colon) and -ectomy (excision). It is a specialized medical word often used in clinical notes, case discussions, and patient education, typically encountered by advanced students or professionals in gastroenterology and surgery.
"The patient underwent a colectomy after a diverticular bleed."
"In the chart, the surgeon noted a partial colectomy with primary anastomosis."
"Postoperative care includes monitoring for infection and bowel function after colectomy."
Pronounce as /ˌkoʊˈlektəmi/ (US) or /ˌkəʊˈlektəmi/ (UK). The primary stress is on the second syllable ‘LECT’, with the syllables broken as co- (second syllable stress) -lec -to -my. Start with a clear ‘ko’ or ‘koʊ’ sound, then a strong ‘lec’ as in “lek,” followed by a schwa-like ‘tə’, and finish with ‘mi’.
Common errors: (1) stressing the first syllable: co-LEC-tomy is wrong; emphasize the second syllable. (2) Slurring the -lec- into a single ‘lek’ with weak vowel in the second syllable; keep clear schwa before -to-; (3) mispronouncing the final -my as a hard ‘ee’ or ‘ee’ sound instead of a light ‘i’; aim for /mi/ at the end. Focus on the middle ‘LECT’ cluster and the final sonority.
US pronounces /ˌkoʊˈlektəmi/ with a clear rhotic American r? Not really; US accents are rhotic, but this word ends in -mi; the r is not present; UK uses /ˌkəʊˈlektəmi/ with non-rhotic tendency; AU similar to US but with slightly flatter vowels; rhoticity is less a factor than vowel quality and mouth openness on /oʊ/ vs /əʊ/.
Because it pairs a long diphthong in the first syllable with a stressed mid-syllable cluster -lec-, followed by a light -to- and the ending -my, which can be misheard as ‘-tomy’ like ‘tomy’ instead of ‘-təmi’.
The second syllable carries primary stress in most dialects, and the thick consonant sound before the schwa in -tə- is a forward alveolar stop, which can be tricky when transitioning from the liquid-like -lec- to the unstressed -to-; ensuring clear enunciation of the -lec- cluster helps avoid the common mispronunciation 'co-LEK-tomy'.
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US vs UK vs AU: • Vowel shifts: USdipthong in /oʊ/ is more pronounced, UK may reduce to /əʊ/; AU often sits between /oʊ/ and /əʊ/ depending on speaker. • Stress: The strong secondary/primary stress pattern remains on the second syllable; ensure you’re not placing stress on the first. • Final vowel: All tend to reduce the final -my to /mi/, not /miː/. IPA references help, but focus on mouth positions and timing rather than pure letters.
Colectomy derives from the Latin word colon (large intestine) combined with the Greek -ectomy, from ektein meaning to cut out. The term reflects a surgical excision of intestinal tissue. Record of usage in medical literature dates back to the 19th century as abdominal and colorectal surgery evolved. The word coalesced in English anatomical nomenclature as physicians standardized organ names (colon) with procedural suffixes (-ectomy). First known uses appear in medical texts describing resections, with early instances in the late 1800s as abdominal surgery became more systematic. By the 20th century, colectomy became common terminology for partial or total removal of the colon, including variations like total colectomy, subtotal colectomy, or left colectomy, each indicating the colon segment removed. The spelling aligns with other -ectomy terms (gastrectomy, nephrectomy), and pronunciation follows a three-syllable pattern that places primary stress on the second syllable (co-LEC-tomy).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "colectomy" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "colectomy"
-omy sounds
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