5 syllables: La, bi, a Mi, no, ra. Stress on La.
LAY-bee-uh muh-noh-ruh
/ˈleɪ.bi.ə mə.noʊ.rə/
Labia Minora is pronounced LAY-bee-uh muh-noh-ruh (/ˈleɪ.bi.ə mə.noʊ.rə/). It has five syllables (La-bi-a Mi-no-ra), with the stress on "La". Labia minora are the inner folds of skin surrounding the vaginal opening. This anatomical term, used in medical contexts, refers to the pair of delicate, hairless lips that lie inside the larger labia majora. The term is Latin in origin and commonly encountered in gynecological descriptions and sexual health discussions.
nounLabia minora are the inner folds of skin surrounding the vaginal opening. This anatomical term, used in medical contexts, refers to the pair of delicate, hairless lips that lie inside the larger labia majora. The term is Latin in origin and commonly encountered in gynecological descriptions and sexual health discussions.
How to Pronounce Labia Minora
"The clinician described the labia minora as thin, pinkish folds surrounding the vulvar vestibule."
"During the examination, she noted that the labia minora were symmetrical and well-lubricated."
"The diagram labeled the labia minora clearly, distinguishing them from the surrounding labia majora."
Pronounce as LA-bee-uh mih-NOR-uh. Stress on the first syllable of Labia and on the second syllable of Minora (mi-NOR-a). IPA: US: ˈleɪ.bi.ə mɪˈnɔːr.ə. Break it into three parts: LAB-ia (with a long A in Lab-), MIN-ora (stress on NOR). For quick guidance: say ‘LAY-bee-uh’ followed by ‘mih-NOR-uh.’ Audio reference: consult medical pronunciation resources or Forvo entries under Labia Minora to hear physician-narrated examples.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress (e.g., li-‘bee-uh’ or ‘la-‘bi-a’). Correct by stressing Labia first syllable and Minora second-syllable: LA-bee-uh and mih-NOR-a. 2) Slurring the vowels in Labia into one syllable (LA-bi-a). Keep three clear syllables: LA-bi-a. 3) Over-shortening the second word or pronouncing Minora as ‘MIN-uh-rah’ with weak NOR. Emphasize NOR in Minora: mih-NOR-uh. Practice with slow repetition and IPA guidance: ˈleɪ.bi.ə mɪˈnɔː.rə.
US: rhotic flavor, clear R in -nor-, final schwa often reduced slightly. UK: non-rhotic or weak R, clearer vowels and more centralized final syllable '-ə'. AU: similar to UK with slightly broader vowels and a mild Australian vowel quality. IPA cues: US ˈleɪ.bi.ə mɪˈnɔːr.ə, UK ˈleɪ.bɪ.ə mɪˈnɔː.rə, AU ˈleɪ.bɪ.ə mɪˈnɔː.rə. Note final syllable often reduced to -rə in fast speech in UK/AU, while US tends to retain -ər.
Three-part word with two multisyllabic chunks and a mid-front vowel cluster. Challenges: ending -ora can become -ə or -ər, and the NOR in Minora is a closed-mid back vowel that can be tricky for non-native speakers. Also the initial LA-bee- has a diphthong that blends into a schwa in fluent speech. Break it into three syllables, practice the IPA guidance, and mirror a native speaker’s rhythm to avoid rushing the second word.
There are no silent letters in Labia Minora. All letters correspond to pronounced sounds, with typical English vowel reductions in fast speech. The first word Labia uses three clear syllables with a diphthong in the first syllable; the second word Minora emphasizes NOR with a pronounced mid back vowel. In fluent speech, the trailing -a of Labia may sound slightly reduced to an schwa-like sound, but not silent; maintain clear articulation, especially in medical narration.
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US: Rhotic; American V vowels can be broader; stress order unchanged; US tends to pronounce final -ə as a light schwa. UK: non-rhotic or weak R; stable vowel height; Minora’s final -ə more pronounced; AU: tends to have a broad vowel quality with slight vowel shifts, especially in Labia’s first syllable; reformulate accuracy using IPA: US ˈleɪ.bi.ə mɪˈnɔː.rə, UK ˈleɪ.bɪ.ə mɪˈnɔː.rə, AU ˈleɪ.bi.ə mɪˈnɔː.rə. Core differences: rhotics, final vowel length, and /ɜ/ or /ə/ realizations.
Labia minora is a compound Latin term. Labia is the plural of labium, meaning ‘lip’ or ‘lip of an organ,’ from Latin labium. Minora is the comparative form of parvus ‘small’ or minor; literally ‘the smaller lips.’ In anatomical Latin, labia minora refers to the inner lips of the vulva, distinct from the labia majora, which are larger. The term entered medical vocabulary as Latin nomenclature in classical medical texts, with early translations in European medical dictionaries. Over centuries, it remained the standard clinical terminology to specify the inner vulvar lips. In English medical literature, Labia minora is typically capitalized only in the sense of a formal anatomical term, with the two words treated as a Latin neuter noun phrase. First known usage appears in Latin anatomical descriptions dating to the Middle Ages and Renaissance, later appearing in English translations of medical texts as a precise anatomical descriptor. The phrase is widely used in modern gynecology, anatomy textbooks, and health education. The capitalization conventions reflect its status as a fixed anatomical label rather than a freely inflected English word. In contemporary discourse, the term is standardized, with the phrase often hyphenated or written as two words without diacritics, depending on style guides. The meaning has remained stable: the inner, smaller set of vulvar lips. The word has not acquired broader metaphorical meanings; it is used strictly in anatomical context. The evolution of its usage mirrors the broader move toward precise, Latin-based clinical nomenclature across medical communities.
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Words that rhyme with "Labia Minora"
-ora sounds
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