6 syllables: Ke, to, a, ci, do, sis. Stress on ci.
kee-toh-uh-SID-oh-sis
/kiː toʊ ə ˈsɪ doʊ sɪs/
Ketoacidosis is pronounced kee-toh-uh-SID-oh-sis (/kiː toʊ ə ˈsɪ doʊ sɪs/). It has six syllables (Ke-to-a-ci-do-sis), with the stress on "ci". Ketoacidosis is a dangerous metabolic state where high levels of ketones build up in the blood due to insufficient insulin or excessive ketone production. It can occur in diabetes or prolonged fasting and requires prompt medical attention. The term combines roots referring to ketones and acidity, signaling a harmful acid-base imbalance.
nounKetoacidosis is a dangerous metabolic state where high levels of ketones build up in the blood due to insufficient insulin or excessive ketone production. It can occur in diabetes or prolonged fasting and requires prompt medical attention. The term combines roots referring to ketones and acidity, signaling a harmful acid-base imbalance.
"The patient presented with nausea and fruity breath, indicating possible ketoacidosis."
"In the emergency department, clinicians immediately evaluated the signs of ketoacidosis in the diabetic patient."
"Chronic poor insulin management can lead to recurrent episodes of ketoacidosis if not treated."
Break it as ke-to-a-DO-si-s with primary stress on the third syllable: /ˌkiː.toʊˌæd.ɪˈsoʊ.sɪs/ in US notation. In plain terms: keep the 'kee' long, stress the 'do' part, and end with a crisp 'sis'. For accuracy, practice saying: kee-TAW-ah-DIH-soh-sis, but align with the IPA: /ˌkiːˌtoʊˌæd.əˈsoʊ.sɪs/ depending on dialect. Visualize the three-phoneme structure ke-to-a-do-si-s with a light secondary stress on the second syllable and main stress on the fourth: do-si. Listen to medical diction resources to fine-tune the vowel lengths and the ‘a’ as in cat vs. father depending on dialect; the key is accurate syllable timing and clear terminal sibilant.
Common errors include collapsing the syllables into ke-toe-ossis or saying ‘keto-ascidosis’ with an extra syllable. Another frequent mistake is misplacing stress, delivering ke-TO-a-cid-osis instead of keeping the primary stress on the fourth syllable (or the intended medical stress pattern). Correction tips: pause between syllables to maintain clarity, ensure the second syllable uses a strong 'to' with /toʊ/, and keep the final -sis as /sɪs/ rather than /zɪz/ in American speech.
In US English, stress tends toward the -do- and -so- portions with a clear /ˌkiːˌtoʊˌæd.əˈsoʊ.sɪs/ pattern, and vowels like /iː/ and /oʊ/ are distinct. UK English often uses a slightly shorter final /ɪs/ and may show less rhotic influence in related terms; AU tends to diphthongs similar to US but with flatter vowel qualities, sometimes merging /æ/ toward a broader /æː/ and preserving the final /sɪs/. The rhoticity is typically non-rhotic in UK, so the r-like quality is absent, affecting surrounding vowels subtly.
It blends a medical prefix (keto-) with a somewhat unfamiliar second half (-acidosis), requiring precise vowel length and consonant clarity. The sequence /toʊæd.ɪˈsoʊ/ places a long vowel before a stressed syllable and a final -sis with a light /s/. Lip posture around /oʊ/ and /æ/ is distinct, and the t/d transitions must be clean to avoid slurring. For speakers, mastering the multi-syllabic rhythm and keeping the three main vowel qualities (/iː, oʊ, æ/) distinct is the core challenge.
A distinctive feature is maintaining the high front vowel in the first syllable /iː/ and then quickly moving into a mid-back /oʊ/ diphthong in the second syllable, before a lighter /æ/ in the third. The primary stress often lands on the 'do' element, creating a four-beat rhythm: kee-TOH-uh-DAW-suh-sis, depending on dialect. Paying attention to the subtle vowel shifts around -ac- and -do- helps avoid a common trap of flattening vowels and misplacing the primary stress.
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- US: treat /iː/ as a long vowel; /toʊ/ is a clear diphthong transitioning to /æ/; ensure the /ˈsoʊ.sɪs/ ends with a crisp /sɪs/. - UK: reduce vowel length differences slightly; keep non-rhoticity means no rhotic post-vowel r; the -sɪs ending remains crisp. - AU: similar to US but with slightly flatter vowel qualities; maintain the same syllable count and stress rhythm; pay attention to the /iː/ vs /ɪ/ distinction in connected speech.
Ketoacidosis derives from three Greek-based morphemes. 'Keto-' comes from ketone bodies, derived from the word ‘ketone’ itself which entered medical usage in the 19th century to describe compounds with a carbonyl group bonded to two other carbons. 'A-' is a Greek prefix meaning removal or lack, and '-osis' denotes a condition or process. The combined form ketoacidosis first appeared in medical literature in the early to mid-20th century as clinicians described a pathological state of excessive ketone accumulation causing acidosis, most often in uncontrolled diabetes. The term maps to pathophysiology: ketones produced in fat breakdown accumulate because insulin is insufficient or ineffective, lowering blood pH. Early descriptions linked to diabetic complications, with the modern framing emphasizing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) as a critical pediatric and adult medical emergency. Over time, ketoacidosis has broadened to non-diabetic contexts (starvation, alcohol-induced ketoacidosis) but retains the same root meaning: ketone bodies causing acidity in the bloodstream. The first known uses appear in clinical case reports and biochemical texts from the 1920s–1950s as hydraulic understandings of ketogenesis and acid-base balance evolved, culminating in standardized diagnostic criteria by the 1980s and continuing into contemporary endocrinology.
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Words that rhyme with "Ketoacidosis"
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