3 syllables: Den, gue Fe, ver. Stress on Den.
DEN-gyoo-fee-vur
/ˈdɛnɡjuː ˌfiːvɚ/
Dengue Fever is pronounced DEN-gyoo-fee-vur (/ˈdɛnɡjuː ˌfiːvɚ/). It has three syllables (Den-gue Fe-ver), with the stress on "Den". Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne illness caused by the dengue virus, characterized by sudden onset of high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pain, and fatigue. It is prevalent in tropical regions and can progress to more serious forms, requiring medical evaluation and supportive care. The term refers to the disease, not the virus itself, and is used in clinical and public health contexts.
nounDengue fever is a mosquito-borne illness caused by the dengue virus, characterized by sudden onset of high fever, severe headache, joint and muscle pain, and fatigue. It is prevalent in tropical regions and can progress to more serious forms, requiring medical evaluation and supportive care. The term refers to the disease, not the virus itself, and is used in clinical and public health contexts.
- You’ll often flatten the dengue syllable; practice den-GUE vs den-GU-eh with a crisp /juː/. - The second word fever may shorten; keep /ˈfiː.vər/ with full vowel length, not /fiːvər/ slurred. - Don’t run dengue and fever together; maintain a light pause for two-word clarity while keeping the main stress on dengue’s second syllable.”,
"A traveler returned with dengue fever after visiting the tropical coast."
"Clinicians must differentiate dengue fever from other febrile illnesses during outbreaks."
"The city launched a campaign to reduce mosquito breeding to prevent dengue fever."
Pronounce as /dɛnˈɡjuː ˈfiː.vər/ (US) or /ˈdɒŋ.ɡjuː ˈfiː.və/ (UK) and /ˈdɛŋ.ɡjuː ˈfiː.və/ (AU). Stress falls on the second syllable of dengue (den-GUE) and on FEVer (FE-ver) in fever. Move lips to round for /juː/ and keep /g/ soft but harden the k-like release in /fiː/; for two-word rhythm, give a slight pause between dengue and fever in careful speech. Quick reference: den-GUE FE-ver, lengthening /fiː/ in emphasis. Audio: consult a reputable pronunciation resource or native speaker sample for subtle vowel quality.”
Common errors: (1) Pronouncing dengue as /dɛnˈdʒjuː/ with a hard ‘j’ sound; instead, use the soft /ˈdɪŋɡjuː/ or /ˈdɒŋ.ɡjuː/ depending on accent. (2) Mistaking dengue’s diphthong; ensure /juː/ as in you, not /ju/ or /juːɪ/. (3) Slurring the two words into one; keep a light boundary before fever. Corrections: practice /dɛnˈɡjuː/ and /ˈfiː.vər/ separately, then blend with a brief gap. Use minimal pairs and timing cues to avoid overwriting. Use audio models; rely on IPA guides for each segment.”
US tends to /dɛnˈɡjuː ˈfiː.vər/, with rhotic /r/ in fever. UK often /ˈdɒŋ.ɡjuː ˈfiː.və/ with non-rhotic fever, and dengue syllable slightly shorter. AU commonly /ˈdɛn.ɡjuː ˈfiː.və/ with slight vowel shifts: /ˈfiː.və/ tends toward a mid-central vowel in rapid speech. Key differences: rhoticity in US, vowel quality of /ɒ/ vs /ɒŋ/ vs /eɪ/ quality, and final /r/ neutralization in UK/AU. Refer to IPA: US /dɛnˈɡjuː ˈfiː.vər/, UK /ˈdɒŋɡjuː ˈfiː.və/ and AU /ˈdɛnɡjuː ˈfiːvə/.”
Two challenges: the /dɒŋ/ or /dɛnɡjuː/ sequence demands accurate placement of the /ŋ/ and /ɡj/ cluster, and the /juː/ glide after a consonant can be tricky for speakers unfamiliar with English diphthongs. The second word fever has a subtle /vər/ or /və/ ending that can blur in rapid speech. Focus on separating dengue’s dental-alveolar blend and the long /iː/ in fever, then link with a light, controlled pause.”
Is the ‘gue’ in dengue pronounced as a hard g or soft g in all accents? Answer: In dengue, the sequence is /ɡj/ after /n/. The ‘gue’ is pronounced as a soft, palatal /ɡj/ blend leading into the vowel of fever. In practice, you pronounce /dɛnˈɡjuː/ with a voiced velar stop immediately followed by a palatal approximant, not a hard ‘g’ as in garlic. This creates the /ɡj/ sequence, which is a common source of mispronunciation. Practice with IPA guidance and listen to native samples.”],}],
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- US: rhotic /r/ in fever; slight /ə/ in final syllable; practice /dɛnˈɡjuː ˈfiː.vər/. - UK: non-rhotic fever; vowel /ə/ in final syllable; practice /ˈdɒŋ.ɡjuː ˈfiː.və/. - AU: general similar to US; slight vowel shifts: /ˈfiː.və/ with less distinct /r/; practice /ˈdɛnɡjuː ˈfiːvə/. - IPA references included for each. - Tip: exaggerate the /ɡj/ blend and the /juː/ glide to anchor correct pronunciation.”,
Dengue originates from the Swahili phrase ki dengo or a vestigial Spanish-turned-English word dengue, historically referring to a sudden, disabling seizure or cramp-like pain. Early 18th to 19th century medical texts describe a febrile illness in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia with intense bone and joint pain, leading to the nickname breakbone fever. The term ‘dengue’ likely derives from the Spanish ser of ‘dengoso’ (sickly) and/or the Swahili/Dar es Salaam trade routes where similar illnesses were noted by sailors and traders. The disease entity was distinguished from other febrile diseases as virology advanced in the mid-20th century, with the dengue virus identified and serotypes described, solidifying ‘dengue fever’ as the common clinical name. The phrase spread globally with colonial and tropical medicine networks, becoming the standard clinical term by the late 19th to early 20th centuries and remaining in use in public health guidance and clinical practice today.
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Words that rhyme with "Dengue Fever"
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