6 syllables: Es, ophag, eal A, tre, si, a. Stress on eal A.
es-uh-fee-uh-luh-TREE-zhuh
/ˌɛsəˈfiːəl əˈtriːʒə/
Esophageal Atresia is pronounced es-uh-fee-uh-luh-TREE-zhuh (/ˌɛsəˈfiːəl əˈtriːʒə/). It has six syllables (Es-ophag-eal A-tre-si-a), with the stress on "eal A". Esophageal atresia is a congenital defect where the esophagus ends in a blind pouch rather than connecting to the stomach, often requiring surgical repair. It is diagnosed in newborns and can be associated with other anomalies. The term combines both anatomy words, indicating a disrupted esophageal lumen and separation of the upper and lower segments.
proper nounEsophageal atresia is a congenital defect where the esophagus ends in a blind pouch rather than connecting to the stomach, often requiring surgical repair. It is diagnosed in newborns and can be associated with other anomalies. The term combines both anatomy words, indicating a disrupted esophageal lumen and separation of the upper and lower segments.
"The infant was diagnosed with esophageal atresia shortly after birth and prepared for surgery."
"Surgeons discussed the complexities of repairing esophageal atresia in the neonatal period."
"Researchers study esophageal atresia to understand its causes and improve treatment outcomes."
Say EI-sof-uh-JEE-əl uh-TREE-zhuh. Primary stress on the second syllable of esophageal (uh-TEER-zhuh) and on the second syllable of atresia (TREE-zhuh). In IPA US: /ˌiːˌsoʊˈfeɪ.dʒi.əl æˈtriː.zi.ə/. UK: /ˌiːˈsəʊ.fæˈdʒi.əl æˈtriː.zi.ə/. Australian: /ˌiːˈsɒ.fæ.dʒi.əl æˈtrɪː.zɪə/ approximate. Keep the f as a soft f, z as zh-like in 'tre-zh-ya' and end with a schwa.
Common errors: misplacing stress on the esophageal part (say EI-soh-FAY-dee-uhl instead of EI-sof-uh-JEE-əl); mispronouncing atresia as a-long-TRAY-zee-uh instead of AT-ree-zhuh; skipping the soft 'zh' sound in -zia endings (should be zh-uh). Correct by breaking into syllables: e-so-pha-ge-al a-tre-sia, emphasizing the second syllable of esophageal (ee-SOF-uh-juhl) and the second syllable of atresia (TREE-zhuh).
US tends to mercy the 'es' as ee-SOF-uh-juh-l with a rhotic 'r' influence; UK often uses closer to es-OF-uh-jē-ul with non-rhotic streaming and a softer 'r'; AU tends to draw vowels shorter, with a more clipped final '-ia' as -ee-uh. IPA hints: US /ˌiːˌsoʊˈfeɪ.dʒi.əl æˈtriː.zi.ə/; UK /ˌiːˌsəʊ.fəˈdʒi.əl æˈtriː.zi.ə/; AU /ˌiːˈsɒ.fæ.dʒi.əl æˈtrɪː.zjə/ (approx). Focus on rhotics, vowel quality, and the 'zh' in -fidae?
Two main challenges: the 'esophageal' cluster includes /ˌiːˌsoʊˈfeɪ.dʒi.əl/, with a tricky 'dʒ' (g) sound before a schwa and a long, multi-syllable pattern; and 'atresia' /æˈtriː.zi.ə/ with the unstressed -sia ending producing a zh-like sound and a final schwa. Beginners often misplace stress, replace /feɪ/ with /feɪ/ or mispronounce the 'zh' as 'z' or 's'. Practice: isolate each part, then combine.
No true silent letters in pronunciation breakdown; all letters contribute to the rhythm and phonemes, but some vowel sounds reduce in connected speech. The 'esophageal' often reduces the middle vowel to a schwa in casual speech, but in careful medical pronunciation, you maintain clearer vowels: /ˌiːˌsoʊˈfeɪ.dʒi.əl/. The 'atresia' keeps the /æ/ on the first syllable with a clear /z/ turning into /ʒ/ in careful enunciation. For clarity, avoid eliding the second syllable of -esophageal and the -ria in -atresia.
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Esophageal comes from Late Latin oesophagus, from Greek oisophagos (oisophagos), from ois (gullet) + phagos (eating) and originally described the tube carrying food from mouth to stomach. Atresia comes from Greek atresia, from a- (not) + tresis (hole, or perforation), designating a lack of a normal opening. The combined term esophageal atresia emerged in medical literature to define a condition in which the esophagus ends in a blind pouch rather than forming a continuous passage to the stomach. The first known uses appear in early modern medical texts on congenital anomalies and surgical pathology; as neonatal surgery became more advanced in the 20th century, the term standardized to describe the prototypical block in the upper GI tract requiring correction. The concept traces to anatomical descriptions of the GI tract and developmental abnormalities; the progressive refinement of neonatal surgical techniques further solidified the term in pediatric surgery. Historically, “atresia” was used for other blind-ending tracts (e.g., intestinal atresias), but “esophageal atresia” specifically denotes the esophagus’s discontinuity. The modern understanding integrates embryology, genetics, and neonatal care improvements, with first successful repairs documented in the mid-20th century and ongoing refinements in surgical approaches and long-term outcomes.
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Words that rhyme with "Esophageal Atresia"
-sia sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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