4 syllables: Co, lo, bo, ma. Stress on bo.
koh-luh-BOH-muh
/koʊləˈboʊmə/
Coloboma is pronounced koh-luh-BOH-muh (/koʊləˈboʊmə/). It has four syllables (Co-lo-bo-ma), with the stress on "bo". Coloboma is a congenital defect characterized by a gap or defect in the eye structure, most commonly in the iris, retina, choroid, or optic nerve. It can affect one or both eyes and may vary in size from small to extensive, sometimes resembling a keyhole opening. The term also appears in medical contexts describing similar openings in other organs.聽.
nounColoboma is a congenital defect characterized by a gap or defect in the eye structure, most commonly in the iris, retina, choroid, or optic nerve. It can affect one or both eyes and may vary in size from small to extensive, sometimes resembling a keyhole opening. The term also appears in medical contexts describing similar openings in other organs.聽
- Misplacing stress: you might say co-LO-ba-ma or co-lo-BO-ma. Focus on stressing the second syllable as the nucleus. - Incorrect vowel quality in the middle: avoid turning /boʊ/ into /bo/ or /bəʊ/ into /boʊ/ in some dialects; keep a precise mid-vowel in the stressed syllable. - Weak final syllable: end with a faint /mə/ rather than a crisp /mə/; avoid over-weakening in fast speech. - Other pitfalls include blending the middle syllable with the final one; ensure a clean separation between /lə/ and /boʊ/ or /bəʊ/.
How to Pronounce Coloboma
"The ophthalmologist noted a coloboma in the iris during the routine exam."
"Coloboma can occur in isolation or as part of a syndrome such as CHARGE."
"Children with coloboma may require regular vision monitoring and supportive therapies."
Pronounce as ko-LO-bo-ma, with primary stress on the third syllable. IPA: US ˌkɒləˈboʊmə, UK ˌkɒləˈbəʊmə, AU ˌkɒləˈbəmə. Start with a rounded /k/ followed by a short /ɒ/ or /ɒ/ in British pronunciation, then /lə/ (luh), the stressed /boʊ/ or /bəʊ/ with a long mid vowel, and finish with /mə/. Visualize: co-LO-bo-ma.
Common errors include misplacing stress (attempting COL-o-BO-ma or co-LO-bo-ma), mispronouncing the middle vowel as a full /oʊ/ in all dialects, and slurring the final /mə/ into /mɐ/ or /mə/. Correction: keep the second syllable unstressed and lightly articulate the /oʊ/ as in 'go' in US; in UK/AU, ensure the middle vowel is a short schwa /ə/ or /oʊ/ depending on dialect, not a bright /oʊ/ throughout. Practice: isolate bo- and ma-syllables with steady tempo.
US often uses /ˌkɒləˈboʊmə/ with a clear /oʊ/ in the stressed second syllable. UK tends to /ˌkɒləˈbəʊmə/ with a longer /əʊ/ in the stressed syllable; AU mirrors UK patterns but may reduce vowels slightly in connected speech. The rhotics differ: US rhotic /r/ is mainly realized in certain sequences; UK and AU are non-rhotic or weak-rhotic in rapid speech. Overall, the key difference is the middle vowel and the final schwa quality.
Coloboma presents several challenges: a three-syllable word with a stressed second syllable, a vowel sequence that shifts across dialects (/oʊ/ vs /əʊ/), and a final unstressed schwa to reduce in rapid speech. The middle vowel often becomes neutralized, and the ending /mə/ can neutralize to /mə/ or /mɐ/. Mastery requires attention to syllable-timed rhythm and precise tongue positioning for the /k/ onset, the mid back vowel in /ɒ/, and the rounded, tense quality of /oʊ/ or /əʊ/.
In Coloboma, the /l/ is typically pronounced clearly as a light alveolar lateral approximant before the vowel /ə/ or /ɒ/. Keep the tongue blade raised lightly toward the alveolar ridge, with the sides of the tongue allowing air to pass. Avoid eliding the /l/; crisp articulation helps distinguish the syllables, especially between /kɒ/ and /lə/ in faster speech.
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- US: emphasize /ˌkɒləˈboʊmə/ with a clear /oʊ/ in the stressed second syllable; final /mə/ remains distinct. - UK: /ˌkɒləˈbəʊmə/, slightly less rhotic and more movement on the /əʊ/. - AU: similar to UK but with a more centralized or reduced final vowel in casual speech. All accents keep the middle syllable relatively short; avoid over-lengthening /lə/ or the final /mə/. IPA references: US ˌkɒləˈboʊmə, UK ˌkɒləˈbəʊmə, AU ˌkɒləˈbə-mə.
Coloboma derives from the Greek word colobos, meaning ‘cleft’ or ‘body’ and Greek word -oma meaning ‘tumor’ or, in medical terminology, a swelling or mass, though in this case the meaning is extended to a cleft or gap in tissue. The term entered medical English in the late 19th to early 20th century as ophthalmology and pathology adopted Greek roots to denote structural anomalies. Historically, coloboma described congenital fissures of the optic cup during embryonic development, a defect resulting from incomplete closure of the embryonic fissure around the 5th to 7th week of gestation. First known uses appear in ophthalmic case reports and anatomical texts of the period, gradually coalescing into a standardized clinical term. Over time, the usage broadened to describe colobomatous defects in other tissues, but the ocular sense remains the most common. The word’s construction mirrors many medical terms built from Greek roots: 'colo-' from kolobos (gash or cleft) and '-boma' from -bōma (a cutting or cutting action). This lineage reflects a long tradition of naming congenital tissue gaps with precise,Greek-derived morphology for clarity in diagnosis and communication across disciplines and languages.
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Words that rhyme with "Coloboma"
-oma sounds
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