5 syllables: in, tra, u, te, rine. Stress on u.
in-truh-YOO-tur-in
/ˌɪntɹəˈjutɚɪn/
intrauterine is pronounced in-truh-YOO-tur-in (/ˌɪntɹəˈjutɚɪn/). It has five syllables (in-tra-u-te-rine), with the stress on "u". intrauterine is an adjective describing something occurring or situated within the uterus. It is used in medical contexts to indicate processes, devices, or conditions located inside the uterine cavity, typically during pregnancy. The term combines Latin roots that specify location relative to the uterus and gestation. It is commonly found in clinical literature and case notes.
intrauterine is an adjective describing something occurring or situated within the uterus. It is used in medical contexts to indicate processes, devices, or conditions located inside the uterine cavity, typically during pregnancy. The term combines Latin roots that specify location relative to the uterus and gestation. It is commonly found in clinical literature and case notes.
"The intrauterine device is used for long-term contraception."
"Intrauterine blood flow was monitored to assess fetal health."
"An intrauterine infection can affect fetal development."
Break it into four syllables: in-tra-u-ter-ine, with primary stress on the third syllable: in-trə-ˈjuː.tɪn (US) or ɪn.trəˈjuː.tiːn (more formal UK spelling). Common pronunciations naturally blend to in-trə-ˈjuːtəˌriːn in fast speech; ensure you keep the /juː/ sequence intact and avoid swallowing the vowel in the second syllable. Mouth positions: start with a light /ɪ/ or /ɪn/, then a neutral /tr/ cluster, then the /ə/ schwa, then the /ˈjuː/ as in “you,” then /tɪn/ or /tiːn/ depending on dialect. Audio references: consult Cambridge or Oxford pronunciation entries or Forvo for native samples.
Two to three frequent errors: 1) Swallowing the /juː/ leading to /ju/ merging with the /t/; keep the /juː/ as a distinct syllable after the /trə/. 2) Misplacing stress by stressing the first or second syllable instead of the third; remember the stress is on -uterine. 3) Reducing or conflating the third syllable: pronounce /juː/ clearly and avoid blending into /tɪn/. Correction tips: practice with slow, four-beat pacing, tap the rhythm: in-trə-ˈjuː.tən. Use minimal pairs to fix: intra- vs. intra- + something starting with consonant sound.
All three accents keep /ˈjuː/ in the third syllable, but rhoticity and vowel quality color the ending and the /r/ presence. US tends to be rhotic with a more pronounced /r/ in /ˈjuː.tɪn/ sequence, and a clear /ə/ in the second syllable. UK and AU non-rhotic varieties may have a lighter post-vocalic /r/ or even an /ɜː/ or schwa in slow speech; AU often closely aligns with UK, but can have slightly broader vowels. IPA references: US ɪn.trəˈjuː.tɪn, UK ɪn.trəˈjʊː.tiːn, AU ɪn.trəˈjuː.tiːn. In practice, focus on the /juː/ cluster and the non-diphthongizing of the final -ine ending in some dialects.
Because it combines a cluster at the start (in-tra-), a multisyllabic middle (uter-/juː.tər) and a final challenging ending (-ine) that can become /ɪn/ or /iːn/ depending on dialect. The /ˈjuː/ sequence can be slippery if you’re not keeping the yoo sound distinct from the following consonant. Additionally, the stress falls on -uterine, which can tempt speakers to misplace the emphasis on the first or second syllable. Practice focusing on the three core parts: in- (unstressed), -tra- (leading into the cluster), and -uterine (stressed). You’ll master it with rhythm work and slow-to-fast progression.
The combination of a rare medical prefix (intra-) with a long, multi-syllable suffix (-uterine) creates a pronunciation challenge not common in everyday speech. The main point is preserving the four-syllable rhythm, keeping the /juː/ sequence intact, and maintaining the stress on the -uterine portion. It often triggers variant transcriptions across sources, so relying on IPA references and listening to native medical narrations helps you fix it accurately. Think of it as a two-part word: in-trə + juː-tɪn with stress on the latter half.
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Intrauterine comes from Latin intra- meaning inside or within, and the combining form uterus (from Latin utērus) with the adjectival suffix -ine. The prefix intra- signals location inside a boundary, here the uterus. The word first appears in medical texts in the 19th or early 20th century as anatomy and obstetrics formalized terms for pregnancy-related anatomy and devices. Over time, intra- has remained a productive Latin-origin prefix in English medical vocabulary, and uterine remains the standard root for uterus-related terms. The compound reflects systematic terminology in anatomy: intra- (inside) + uterine (pertaining to the uterus). In modern usage, “intrauterine” is read with primary stress on the third syllable from the end (in-truh-UT-uh-roon vs. in-truh-UT-uh-reen depending on variant), and it appears across lecture notes, radiology reports, and obstetric guidelines. The term’s evolution mirrors the broader medical trend of precise, location-based descriptors that combine Latin roots with English modifiers. First known use in medical writing aligns with era of standardized anatomical nomenclature and obstetric pathology.
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