4 syllables: Em, phy, se, ma. Stress on se.
em-fuh-ZEE-muh
/ˌɛmfəˈzimə/
Emphysema is pronounced em-fuh-ZEE-muh (/ˌɛmfəˈzimə/). It has four syllables (Em-phy-se-ma), with the stress on "se". Emphysema is a chronic lung condition characterized by the destruction of the alveoli, reducing surface area for gas exchange and causing breathlessness. It progresses gradually and is typically associated with smoking or long-term exposure to lung irritants. Management focuses on relief of symptoms, slowing progression, and maintaining activity levels.
nounEmphysema is a chronic lung condition characterized by the destruction of the alveoli, reducing surface area for gas exchange and causing breathlessness. It progresses gradually and is typically associated with smoking or long-term exposure to lung irritants. Management focuses on relief of symptoms, slowing progression, and maintaining activity levels.
"The patient was diagnosed with emphysema after years of smoking and now uses a supplemental oxygen device."
"Doctors emphasized smoking cessation to prevent further deterioration in his emphysema."
"Emphysema can complicate other respiratory illnesses, making exercise more challenging for patients."
Pronounce as /ɛmˈfɪzəmə/ (US) or /emˈfɪzəmə/ (UK/AU). The word has four syllables: EM-fih- zuh-muh, with primary stress on the second syllable. Start with the short /ɛ/ as in “bet,” move to /f/ then a short /ɪ/ in the second syllable, a clear /z/ in the third, and end with a neutral schwa /ə/ and /mə/. Make sure the middle /z/ is voiced and crisp. Audio resources like Pronounce or Cambridge dictionaries can provide native speaker pronunciations for verification.
Common errors include stressing the first syllable as EM-phy-se-ma or misplacing the /z/ as /s/ (em-fih-seh-ma). Some speakers blend the third syllable too quickly, producing /ɛmˈfɪzəmə/ with a reduced /z/ or an unclear vowel in the second syllable. Correction tips: practice the four distinct syllables EM-phy-se-ma, emphasize the /f/ then /z/ with a brief /ɪ/ before it, and articulate the final schwa clearly. Use minimal pairs or drill phrases to reinforce the exact rhythm.
In US English, the second syllable carries primary stress with a crisp /f/ and /z/ sequence: /ɛmˈfɪziˌmə/. UK and Australian pronunciations maintain /ɛmˈfɪzəmə/ with somewhat stronger final syllable reduction in rapid speech. Australian English can exhibit a slightly broader vowel in /ɪ/ and a less rhotacized final syllable than some US varieties. Across accents, the main difference is vowel quality in the second syllable and the degree of final syllable reduction; the overall stress pattern remains on the second syllable.
The challenge lies in the consonant cluster around the second and third syllables: /f/ followed by /z/ can blur in rapid speech, and the /ɪ/ vowel in the second syllable is short and quick, often reduced in casual speech. The final /ə/ (schwa) can become a clearer /ə/ or be elided slightly in fast talk. Also, the sequence /ˈfɪzi/ requires precise voicing, avoiding a substitute /s/ or /z/ mispronunciation. Practice the four-part rhythm to keep the syllables distinct.
Does the word ever appear with silent letters? No, emphysema has no silent letters; all four syllables carry phonetic weight, with the second syllable carrying primary stress. The /f/ and /z/ are both voiced; distinguish /z/ from /s/ in careful speech. A frequent trick is to misplace the stress toward the first syllable due to medical jargon patterns, so keep the primary stress on the second syllable.
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Emphysema comes from the Greek prefix emphy- ‘inflated, inflating’ derived from em- ‘in, in into’ and physema from the Greek sphyzein ‘to blow, inflate, puff up,’ ultimately via Latinized forms into Early Modern Medical usage. The term first appeared in the 19th century as medical vocabularies formalized to describe pathologies involving abnormal airspaces and air trapping in the lungs. Historically, the understanding evolved from simply describing “inflation” to recognizing structural destruction of alveolar walls and permanent enlargement of air spaces distal to the terminal bronchioles. By the late 1800s and early 1900s, clinicians documented emphysema as a component of chronic bronchitis and later as a hallmark of COPD, particularly linked to smoking. The modern clinical conception emphasizes irreversible parenchymal destruction, airspace dilation, and impaired elastic recoil, with emphasis on radiographic appearance and spirometry thresholds.
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Words that rhyme with "Emphysema"
-mma sounds
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