3 syllables: Di, flu, can. Stress on flu.
dif-LOO-kuhn
/dɪˈfluːkən/
Diflucan is pronounced dif-LOO-kuhn (/dɪˈfluːkən/). It has three syllables (Di-flu-can), with the stress on "flu". Diflucan is a brand-name antifungal medication containing fluconazole, commonly used to treat yeast infections and certain systemic fungal infections. It is typically prescribed in a short course and taken orally. The term refers to the drug itself, not a generic chemical name, and is recognized across medical contexts and patient-facing materials.
nounDiflucan is a brand-name antifungal medication containing fluconazole, commonly used to treat yeast infections and certain systemic fungal infections. It is typically prescribed in a short course and taken orally. The term refers to the drug itself, not a generic chemical name, and is recognized across medical contexts and patient-facing materials.
- Common Mistake 1: Overemphasizing the second syllable as /fu/ with a long 'u' sound, leading to /ˈdaɪ.fluː.kæn/. Correction: keep /flu/ as a crisp, short vowel sequence, no prolonged 'u'. - Common Mistake 2: Stress misplacement on the second syllable: say /ˈdɪ.flu.kæn/ or /ˈdaɪˌflu.kæn/. Correction: maintain primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈdaɪ.flu.kæn/. - Common Mistake 3: Final vowel lengthening: adding a trailing vowel sound like /ə/ or /ɪ/ (kan-uh). Correction: end on /kæn/ with a clipped final consonant and no trailing schwa.
"She was prescribed Diflucan to treat a persistent vaginal yeast infection."
"Diflucan is often chosen for its convenient once-daily dosing."
"The doctor warned about potential interactions and advised taking Diflucan with water."
Diflucan is pronounced DIE-flu-kan, with primary stress on the first syllable. IPA: US /ˈdaɪ.flu.kæn/, UK /ˈdaɪ.flu.kæn/ and AU /ˈdaɪ.flu.kæn/. Break it into three syllables: DIE (di) - flu (flu) - kans (kan). Keep the vowel in the first syllable as a long I, and the final syllable with a short a as in ‘cat.’ You can listen to examples on Forvo or Pronounce to hear native pronunciation.
Common errors include saying ‘dee-flu-KAN’ with mis-stressed second syllable or attempting to pronounce it as ‘diff-lu-CON’ by overemphasizing a second-stressed ‘lu’ or final ‘con’ instead of ‘kan.’ Corrective tips: keep primary stress on the first syllable (Dye), reduce the rime after the first vowel to a crisp ‘flu,’ and finish with a short ‘kan’ with a soft ‘a’ like in ‘bat.’ Use IPA as a reference: /ˈdaɪ.flu.kæn/.
US/UK/AU share the same primary stress pattern on the first syllable, /ˈdaɪ.flu.kæn/, but minor vowel quality shifts occur. US tends toward a slightly rounded ‘flu’ and a fully rhotic ‘r’-like timbre in connected speech (though not pronounced here). UK and AU tend to lighten the final vowel and maintain a shorter, clipped ‘kan.’ Overall, the vowels remain the same phonemic set; differences are subtle, mostly in pace and vowel duration.
The challenge lies in the initial long I sound /aɪ/ followed by a rapid transition into /flu/ and the short, lax final /kæn/. The three-syllable structure can tempt you to misplace stress or elongate the final vowel. The final alveolar nasal /n/ blends with the preceding lax /æ/; keeping the syllables distinct helps clarity. Practice with slow repetition, then speed up while maintaining exact IPA targets /ˈdaɪ.flu.kæn/.
Diflucan ends with a short, closed syllable /kæn/, not /kan/ or /kən/. The key is to avoid adding a schwa after the final consonant. Some speakers briefly voice the final syllable as /kæn/ with a tight jaw and minimal lip rounding. Emphasize the first syllable DI, ensure the mid syllable is clean /f/ followed by /l/ then /u/ as a single unit, ending firmly on /kæn/.
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- US: Keep rhotic precision implied but not pronounced; /ˈdaɪ.flu.kæn/ with crisp /d/ and /f/; avoid vowel elongation. - UK: Slightly shorter /ɪ/ in the second syllable but still clear; maintain non-rhotic tendency; final /æ/ close to /æ/ in ‘cat’. - AU: Similar to US but with a slightly more rounded /ɒ/ in some speakers? Not typically; many AU speakers align with US. Use IPA references to calibrate.
Diflucan is a brand name for fluconazole, developed in the 1980s during the expansion of azole antifungal therapies. The name Diflucan is a coined trade name likely derived from a blend of “diffuse” or “diffuse fungal spread” and “flu,” implying fluconazole’s action against fungal infections, though the exact branding rationale is proprietary. The active ingredient fluconazole traces its roots to triazole chemistry, evolving from early azole antifungals with improved oral bioavailability and a broad spectrum of activity against yeasts and mold-like fungi. The term fluconazole combines the fluorinated chemical context with fluconazole’s azole core, first entering clinical use in the mid-1990s after successful trials established safety and efficacy for candidiasis and cryptococcal meningitis. Diflucan as a trademark appeared in pharmacological catalogs and patient information leaflets, symbolizing a widely recognized antifungal therapy assumed by clinicians when fluconazole is indicated. First known use of the brand name in medical literature aligns with late 20th-century pharmaceutical branding, while the generic fluconazole name appears earlier in chemical and pharmacology references as the active compound. Today, Diflucan remains a common, brand-specific reference for fluconazole, particularly in inpatient and outpatient antifungal treatment regimens worldwide.
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Words that rhyme with "Diflucan"
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