4 syllables: co, los, to, my. Stress on los.
koh-LOS-tuh-mee
/koʊˈlɒstəmi/
colostomy is pronounced koh-LOS-tuh-mee (/koʊˈlɒstəmi/). It has four syllables (co-los-to-my), with the stress on "los". Colostomy is a surgical procedure that creates an opening (stoma) from the colon to the abdominal wall to divert feces. The term also refers to the resulting opening or the procedure itself. It is a medical term used in clinical discussion and patient education. Understanding its pronunciation helps in accurate medical communication and patient counseling.
Colostomy is a surgical procedure that creates an opening (stoma) from the colon to the abdominal wall to divert feces. The term also refers to the resulting opening or the procedure itself. It is a medical term used in clinical discussion and patient education. Understanding its pronunciation helps in accurate medical communication and patient counseling.
- You may drop or soften the /l/ in the middle syllable, producing something like /ˌkɒˈstɒmi/. Fix: keep the light but audible /l/ before /ə/ and ensure the /l/ is tied with a clear /ə/ sound. - The middle syllable often becomes a reduced schwa; avoid turning it into a full vowel. Keep it as /lə/ or /ləs/ depending on dialect. - Final syllable may be rushed, giving /mi/ as a consonant-like ending; practice holding the final /i/ longer for clear closure. - Inattention to /st/ cluster can cause a subtle mispronunciation like /ˌkɒləˈsəʊmi/; keep /st/ together with stable voiceless /s/ and /t/ before /m/.
"The patient underwent a colostomy to allow the bowel to rest after surgery."
"Colostomy care includes stoma hygiene and appliance fitting."
"During the consult, the surgeon explained the benefits and potential complications of a colostomy."
Phonetic guide: US: /ˌkɒ.ləˈstɒ.mi/; UK: /ˌkɒ.ləsˈtəʊ.mi/; AU: /ˌkɒl.ˈɒs.tə.mi/ (approximate). Primary stress on the third syllable in US and UK forms; US also commonly places secondary stress on the first syllable in slower speech. Mouth positions: start with a light /k/ to back of the palate, mid-central /ɒ/ or /ɒ/ in first syllable, /lə/ with a relaxed, neutral vowel, then /ˈstɒ/ with a clear /s/ + /t/ cluster, and end with /mi/ with lips relaxed. Audio reference: you can check standard medical pronunciation on Pronounce or Forvo entries for colostomy to hear native intonation.
Two common errors: 1) shortening the final -omy to -oh-mee, producing /ˌkɒləˈstoʊmi/ with a mismatched vowel; 2) misplacing primary stress on the second syllable or the first (sidestepping /ləˈstɒ/). Correction: keep primary stress on the third syllable: /ˌkɒ.ləˈstɒ.mi/ (US) or /ˌkɒ.ləsˈtəʊ.mi/ (UK). Ensure the /st/ cluster is clear and not devoiced, and keep the final /i/ as a crisp, short /i/ rather than a dull vowel.
US tends to use /ˌkɒ.ləˈstɒ.mi/ with rhoticity affecting preceding syllable vowel quality; UK uses /ˌkɒ.ləsˈtəʊ.mi/ with a longer /əʊ/ in the final syllable and less rhotic influence; AU often aligns with UK patterns but with slightly more clipped vowels and a possible /ɒ/ vs /ɒː/ distinction. Note the middle syllable can be schwa (/ə/) in many speakers. Always listen for the /st/ cluster being preserved and the final /i/ as a short /i/.
Three factors contribute: the consecutive /l/ and /st/ sequences, the unstressed vowel reductions in the middle syllable, and the final /mi/ often pronounced quickly. Also, the relatively rare combination of /st/ plus /m/ can cause mispronunciation if you anticipate the next syllable too soon. Practice by isolating the /ləˈstɒ/ or /ləˈstəʊ/ regions, exaggerating slowly, then accelerate.
A distinguishing feature is the clear articulation of the /st/ cluster in the second half of the word, which can be mis-timed if you rush. Keep the /t/ strongly aspirated before /m/ to preserve the /st/ sequence, and avoid vowel leakage in the first syllable. The primary stress reliably lands on the third syllable in standard forms, which helps anchor rhythm in medical dictation and patient communication.
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US: rhotic influence makes the /r/ not present here, but there is a more pronounced /ɒ/ quality and a stronger /st/ cluster; UK: slightly longer vowels, more de-emphasized rhotics; AU: tends to maintain the /ə/ in the middle and a crisp final /i/. Use IPA as a guide: for US /ˌkɒ.ləˈstɒ.mi/, UK /ˌkɒ.ləsˈtəʊ.mi/, AU /ˌkɒl.ˈɒs.tə.mi/. Focus on keeping the middle syllable as a stable schwa and the second syllable’s /st/ clearly enunciated.
Colostomy derives from the combining form coli- from Latin colon, meaning the large intestine, + -stomy from Greek stoma, meaning mouth or opening. The term has a two-part structure typical of medical neologisms: first the organ involved (colon) and then the surgical creation of an opening (stomy). The modern usage emerged in the late 19th to early 20th century as surgical techniques for fecal diversion evolved. Early descriptions paired the anatomical target with the clinical action, and over time the word stabilized in English medical lexicon. First known uses appear in surgical texts of the 1890s to 1900s, with rapid uptake as hemorrhoidal or colonic surgeries necessitated stomas for healing or management of obstructive disease. The phonology follows standard English stress patterns on -stomy, with the expected reduplication of -o- and the secondary stress prior to -tomy in some variants. The word’s medical utility ensured its widespread adoption in cross-disciplinary clinical settings.
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Words that rhyme with "colostomy"
-osy sounds
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