4 syllables: De, hy, dra, tion. Stress on dra.
dee-heye-DRAY-shuhn
/ˌdihaɪˈdɹeɪʃən/
Dehydration is pronounced dee-heye-DRAY-shuhn (/ˌdihaɪˈdɹeɪʃən/). It has four syllables (De-hy-dra-tion), with the stress on "dra". Dehydration is a condition in which the body loses more fluids than it takes in, leading to insufficient water for normal functions. It can affect skin, organs, and overall health, ranging from mild to life-threatening if not addressed. The term combines the prefix de- with hydration, referring to reduced bodily water content.
nounDehydration is a condition in which the body loses more fluids than it takes in, leading to insufficient water for normal functions. It can affect skin, organs, and overall health, ranging from mild to life-threatening if not addressed. The term combines the prefix de- with hydration, referring to reduced bodily water content.
How to Pronounce Dehydration
"Because of the heat, he developed dehydration after a long run."
"Chronic diarrhea can cause dehydration if fluids aren’t replaced."
"The nurse checked his hydration status to assess dehydration."
Pronounced di-HY-dray-shun with three syllables and primary stress on the third syllable: /ˌdiː.haɪˈdreɪ.ʃən/. Start with a long E in 'de,' a high diphthong in 'hy,' followed by the stressed 'dray' with /dreɪ/ and a final unstressed /ʃən/. Think: di- (long E) + hy-dray + shun. Audio guides: you can compare with dictionaries like Cambridge or Oxford for native pronunciation samples.
Common mistakes include stressing the wrong syllable (putting emphasis on 'de' or 'dra' instead of 'dray'), and mispronouncing the /draɪ/ as /dræɪ/ or misplacing the /ʃə/ into /ʃən/. Correct by maintaining primary stress on the /dreɪ/ portion and keeping the /ɪ/ in the initial syllable short. Practice with minimal pairs like de- vs. day- and ensure the 'dray' is a clean /dreɪ/ rather than a dull /drə/ sound.
In US, UK, and AU, the core segments /ˌdiː hɪˈdreɪ ʃən/ show variation mainly in vowel length and rhoticity. US typically retains a rhotic /r/ in connected speech, while non-rhotic UK varieties may reduce post-vocalic /r/ in some contexts; the /ˈdreɪ/ vowel tends to be a clear diphthong in all, with British accents sometimes slightly shorter /ˈdreɪ/ and Australian accents often with a more centralized ending. Stress placement remains on the /dreɪ/ syllable across dialects.
It challenges non-native speakers with its tripartite stress pattern across three syllables and the central /ˌhaɪ/ cluster in the middle. The combination of /ˈdraɪ/ intertwined with a trailing /ʃən/ can cause mis-sequencing of lips and jaw. Focus on keeping a stable /dr/ onset, crisp /eɪ/ in /dreɪ/, and a light, rapid /ʃən/. IPA cues and slow practice help stabilize muscle memory.
A useful tip is to separate the word into phonemic blocks: /ˌdiː/ + /hɪ/ + /ˈdreɪ/ + /ʃən/. Practice the middle /ˈdreɪ/ with a precise mouth opening: start with /d/ then /r/ and end with /eɪ/ as a single glide, avoiding a separate /ɪ/ in the middle. This helps avoid the common error of pronouncing /ˌdiːˈhaɪ.dreɪ.ʃən/ with a break between /ˈdreɪ/ and /ʃən/.
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US: rhotic, /r/ pronounced; vowels tend toward clearer /iɪ/ in /ˌdiˈ/. UK: non-rhotic; syllable-timed rhythm; /ˈdreɪ/ may be slightly shorter. AU: non-rhotic with a flat /ɐ/ quality in some speakers; lean into /ˌdiːˈhɪːˈdreɪ.ʃən/ depending on speaker. Vowel shifts: /iː/ vs /ɪ/; /haɪ/ often realized as /haɪ/ in all three but with subtle length differences. IPA references: US /ˌdiːˌhaɪˈdreɪ.ʃən/, UK /ˌdiː.haɪˈdreɪ.ʃən/, AU /ˌdiːˈhaɪ.dreɪ.ʃən/; maintain rhotics as appropriate for variety.
Dehydration comes from the prefix de- meaning 'reverse, remove' and the root hydration from Latin hydratio, from Hydra (water) and the Latin -atio indicating action or process. The sense evolved from a general notion of removing water content to a medical term for insufficient body fluids. Old English and early medical Latin sources used hydratus or hydratio to describe moisture content, with dehydration first appearing in medical literature in the 18th–19th centuries as a precise condition, particularly in contexts like fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or excessive sweating. Over time, the term broadened to include dehydration of tissues and substances beyond the human body, with modern usage explicitly tying it to inadequate hydration in clinical practice and public health discourse. The word’s prominence grew with advances in aqueducts, sanitation, sports medicine, and emergency care, where recognizing dehydration is crucial for prevention and treatment.
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Words that rhyme with "Dehydration"
-ion sounds
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