4 syllables: Glom, er, u, li. Stress on er.
glah-MUR-yoo-luhs
/glɑmˈɚjuːləs/
Glomeruli is pronounced glah-MUR-yoo-luhs (/glɑmˈɚjuːləs/). It has four syllables (Glom-er-u-li), with the stress on "er". Glomeruli are tiny, ball-shaped structures in the kidney that filter blood, forming the initial stage of urine production. The term also refers to the microscopic tufts of capillaries inside each nephron. In anatomy, glomeruli play a critical role in filtration, regulation of fluid balance, and waste removal, with functional significance for kidney health and physiology.
nounGlomeruli are tiny, ball-shaped structures in the kidney that filter blood, forming the initial stage of urine production. The term also refers to the microscopic tufts of capillaries inside each nephron. In anatomy, glomeruli play a critical role in filtration, regulation of fluid balance, and waste removal, with functional significance for kidney health and physiology.
"The biopsy showed sclerotic changes in the glomeruli of the patient with chronic kidney disease."
"Researchers mapped gene expression patterns in the glomeruli to understand congenital nephrotic syndrome."
"During the lecture, we reviewed how glomeruli filter plasma while retaining larger proteins."
Pronounce as gloh-MER-oo-lye with primary stress on the second syllable: glom-ER-u-li. IPA US: ˈɡlɒm.dʒəˌɹuː.laɪ or ˈɡlɒm.dʒə.ruːˌlaɪ depending on speaker. Break it into 4 syllables: glom-ER-u-li. Keep the second syllable crisp and the final -li as “lie” to avoid a tense ending. Audio reference: use medical dictionaries or Pronounce for a natural, clinical read-aloud feel.
Two common mistakes are misplacing stress and mispronouncing the -li ending. Some say glo-MER-u-lee, flattening the second syllable and turning the final -li into a short -li like in ‘little.’ Correct by stressing the second syllable and producing a clear -li as -lee (ˈɡlɒm.dʒəˌɹuː.laɪ). Also avoid turning the initial ‘glom’ into a hard ‘glom-m’ blend that bleeds into the middle. Practice with minimal pairs and segment drills.
In US, the first syllable is clearly stressed: GLOM-ER-u-li, with a rhotic r and a long “oo” in the -ru-l- portion. UK typically preserves non-rhoticity; the -r- is less pronounced, and the -li may sound more like -lee but shorter. Australian tends to be rhotic with a rounded vowel in glom and a brighter end: glom-ER-u-lee, with subtle vowel length differences. Across all, ensure the middle -er- is stressed, and the final -li remains crisp and syllabic.
The difficulty lies in the sequence glom-ER-u-li, with stress shift and a complex off-glide in the -er-u- segment. Learners often misplace the primary stress on the first or third syllable, or blend the -er- with -u- into a single schwa. Also, the final -li can be spoken as -lee or -lye; keeping it as -ly (lie) is crucial. Practice with slow, deliberate enunciation and IPA guidance to lock the correct rhythm and vowel quality.
The word’s multisyllabic, four-syllable pattern with a stress on the second syllable (glom-ER-u-li) makes rhythm and vowel clarity essential. The -glomer- prefix requires a clear “glom” onset and a palatalized “j-” sound in some pronunciations (US) when the -mer- morphs into a soft dʒ sound in rapid speech. Maintaining the four distinct syllables and preventing vowel reduction in the middle are key for accurate pronunciation.
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Glomerulus comes from Latin glomus, meaning “ball of yarn or sphere,” with -ulus a diminutive suffix. The plural glomeruli follows Latin neuter noun declension. The term first entered medical usage in the 17th–18th centuries as anatomy advanced and microscopical descriptions became standard. The root glom- historically ties to “ball” or “globe” imagery, reflecting the rounded capillary tufts within the nephron. Over time, glomerulus (singular) and glomeruli (plural) established themselves as the canonical terms for the renal filtration units, with niche usage in nephrology and histology. The word’s adoption paralleled the growth of microscopic anatomy, basing its form on Latin grammar that preserves the -us-to-i plural pattern in many anatomical terms. This etymology highlights the conceptual link between the round, compact capillary clusters and the idea of a small “globe” of filtration embedded in the kidney’s cortex.
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Words that rhyme with "Glomeruli"
-uli sounds
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