4 syllables: Kleb, si, el, la. Stress on si.
kleb-SEE-uh-luh
/klɛbˈsiːələ/
Klebsiella is pronounced kleb-SEE-uh-luh (/klɛbˈsiːələ/). It has four syllables (Kleb-si-el-la), with the stress on "si". Klebsiella is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria known for causing various infections, including urinary, respiratory, and bloodstream infections. It is typically studied in medical microbiology and clinical settings. As a proper noun in biology, it refers to the genus and its member species, not a general term. (2-4 sentences, concise, 50-80 words).
nounKlebsiella is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria known for causing various infections, including urinary, respiratory, and bloodstream infections. It is typically studied in medical microbiology and clinical settings. As a proper noun in biology, it refers to the genus and its member species, not a general term. (2-4 sentences, concise, 50-80 words)
"The patient was diagnosed with a Klebsiella infection requiring targeted antibiotic therapy."
"In the microbiology lab, we cultured Klebsiella to observe its colony morphology."
"Klebsiella pneumoniae is a common species associated with hospital-acquired infections."
Pronounce with three syllables: KLEB-si-EL-la. IPA US/UK/AU: /klɛbˈsiː.lə/. Place stress on the second syllable: kleb-SI-el-la. Start with /kl/ as in clean, then /ɛ/ as in bed, followed by /b/, /ˈsiː/ as “cee” and a light /l/ before the final /ə/ (schwa). You’ll hear quires of science speakers say kleb-SI-el-la, keeping the middle syllable prominent.
Two common errors: misplacing stress (trying kleb-SI-el-la vs. kleb-si-EL-la) and mispronouncing the middle vowel as /ɪ/ or a short /i/. Correct by stressing the /ˈsiː/ syllable and elongating the vowel to /iː/. Another pitfall is blending the final /lə/ too quickly; give the final schwa a full lax vowel. Practice with slow segments and then speed up.
In US/UK/AU, the initial /kl/ and /b/ are consistent. The main difference is vowel quality in the second syllable: /ˈsiː/ is long and tense in all. Rhotic influence is minimal for this word; the final /ə/ remains a soft schwa in GA or nonrhotic environments; some speakers reduce the final syllable more in rapid speech. Overall, /klɛbˈsiːlə/ is stable across three accents, with subtle voicing and duration differences.
The difficulty stems from three factors: the consonant cluster at the start /kl/ followed by a nonnative sequence /ɛb/ forming an unusual blend; the stressed syllable in /ˈsiː/ that requires a required vowel length; and the final /lə/ containing a schwa that often reduces in casual speech. For non-medical speakers, syllable boundary perception and the contrast between /siː/ and /si/ can be tricky. Slow-practice helps fix the rhythm and pitch.
Klebsiella’s four-letter sequence -bsi- includes a difficult blend where many learners accidentally insert /z/ or omit the /l/ sound. The correct order is /k/ - /l/ - /ɛ/ - /b/ - /ˈsiː/ - /lə/. Emphasize keeping the /l/ sound clear before the /siː/. In connected speech, you may hear a light linking between /klɛb/ and /ˈsiːlə/, but avoid smushing the syllables.
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Klebsiella derives from the surname of German microbiologist Edwin Klebs plus the Latinized suffix -ia to denote a genus. The genus was established in the 19th century as bacteriology formalized its taxonomy; Klebs’s name was honored for his contributions to microbiology, particularly in observing bacteria in tissue. The specific epithet and the broader genus name reflect standard practice of naming bacteria after scientists while using Latinized endings to form genera. First described in the late 19th to early 20th century as microscopy techniques advanced, Klebsiella was distinguished from similar Gram-negative rods by colony morphology and biochemical traits, leading to its current status as an important clinical genus associated with hospital and community-acquired infections.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Klebsiella" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Klebsiella"
-lla sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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