2 syllables: Eme, sis. Stress on Eme.
EM-is-is
/ˈɛmɪsɪs/
Emesis is pronounced EM-is-is (/ˈɛmɪsɪs/). It has two syllables (Eme-sis), with the stress on "Eme". Emesis is a medical noun referring to the act or process of vomiting. It denotes the expulsion of stomach contents through the mouth or, in rare cases, other orifices. In clinical contexts, it is used to describe the symptom or event rather than the act in a lay sense.
nounEmesis is a medical noun referring to the act or process of vomiting. It denotes the expulsion of stomach contents through the mouth or, in rare cases, other orifices. In clinical contexts, it is used to describe the symptom or event rather than the act in a lay sense.
"The patient experienced sudden emesis after the overnight fast."
"Green emesis can indicate biliary or intestinal complications and requires medical attention."
"The doctor noted episodes of emesis during the examination, prompting further testing."
Pronounce as eh-MEE-sis, with the primary stress on the second syllable: /ˌɛˈmiː.sɪs/ in US and UK IPA. In practical speech, you’ll hear it as eh-MEE-sis, often merging the final -sis sounds. Start with a short E as in ’bed’, then a long E vowel for the second syllable, and end with a clear -sis as in 'this' but with a crisp s. Audio references can be found in medical diction resources and Forvo entries for emesis.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (em-EE-sis instead of eh-MEE-sis), shortening the middle vowel to a lax ’uh’ (em-uh-sis), or mispronouncing the final -sis as ’siss’ instead of a crisp /sɪs/. To correct: keep the primary stress on the second syllable, use a clear long E for the second syllable, and finish with a clean /sɪs/. Practice with minimal pairs and slowed tempo to reinforce the correct vowel quality.
In US and UK, emesis has primary stress on the second syllable: /ˌɛˈmiː.mis/ or /ˌɛm.ˈiː.sɪs/, with a long E in the second syllable and a clear /sɪs/ ending. In Australian English, the vowel qualities may be slightly broader, but the stress pattern remains on the second syllable. The rhotic influence is minimal in non-rhotic accents, but in rhotic US, you might hear a slightly more rounded initial vowel. Overall, the key is maintaining /ˌɛˈmiː.sɪs/ with a long E in the stressed syllable.
The difficulty lies in the two consecutive vowels in the second syllable and the final -sis. English speakers often misplace the stress or elongate the wrong vowel, producing /ˌɛmˈiːsɪz/ or /ˌɛˈmɛsɪs/. The correct form keeps the long E in the stressed syllable and ends with a crisp /sɪs/. Practice focusing on the transition from /m/ to /iː/ to /sɪs/ without inserting an extra syllable.
Yes—emesis has a clear secondary stress potential in rapid clinical narration, but the standard is a single primary stress on the second syllable (eh-MEE-sis). A unique feature is the long E in the stressed syllable, which can cause the middle vowel to feel held longer in careful speech. Paying attention to the transition from /m/ to /iː/ will help you maintain the accurate rhythm and avoid blends that create /ˈɛmɪsɪs/.
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Emesis derives from the Greek emēsis (ἔμεσις), from the verb ’emesis’ meaning vomiting. The root ἔμεσις stems from the verb ἐμισέω or ἔμεσαι (to vomit), related to attempts to express the act of ejecting contents. The term entered medical usage through Latinized scholarly work in the 16th–17th centuries, often appearing in European medical texts to describe the act of vomiting in clinical observations. Over time, emesis became a standardized medical term used in symptomatology, pharmacology (antiemetic agents), and gastroenterology. In modern clinical contexts, it is ubiquitously used to document patient symptoms, with precise definitions distinguishing spontaneous emesis from induced vomiting and differentiating emesis from regurgitation. The word retains strong ties to its Greek roots in both meaning and morphology, and its usage remains specialized to medical discourse rather than everyday speech. First known uses in early modern medical compendia appear in Latin and Greek-based glossaries, where ’emesis’ was used to describe vomiting as a distinct clinical phenomenon, later becoming a common term in English medical literature by the 18th and 19th centuries.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Emesis" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Emesis" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Emesis"
-sis sounds
-ses sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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