5 syllables: Lei, o, my, o, ma. Stress on my.
leye-oh-MEYE-oh-muh
/laɪoʊˈmaɪoʊmə/
Leiomyoma is pronounced leye-oh-MEYE-oh-muh (/laɪoʊˈmaɪoʊmə/). It has five syllables (Lei-o-my-o-ma), with the stress on "my". Leiomyoma is a benign tumor composed of smooth muscle cells, commonly occurring in the uterus (where it’s often called a fibroid) but can develop in other organs. It typically grows slowly and may be asymptomatic or cause symptoms depending on size and location. Medical evaluation is advised for diagnosis and management.
nounLeiomyoma is a benign tumor composed of smooth muscle cells, commonly occurring in the uterus (where it’s often called a fibroid) but can develop in other organs. It typically grows slowly and may be asymptomatic or cause symptoms depending on size and location. Medical evaluation is advised for diagnosis and management.
"The patient was diagnosed with a uterine leiomyoma after an MRI."
"Large leiomyomas can distort the uterus and cause heavy menstrual bleeding."
"The surgeon discussed options to remove the leiomyoma while preserving fertility."
Pronunciation: lei-uh-MY-uh-muh with primary stress on the third syllable: /ˌlaɪ.oʊˌmaɪˈoʊ.mə/ US; UK: /ˌlaɪəʊˈmaɪəˌmɒmə/; AU: /ˌlaɪəˈmaɪəˌmə/ depending on speaker. Start with ‘lie’ as in lie, then ‘oh’ then ‘my-’ then ‘o-ma’. The sequence is four syllables: lei-o-my-o-ma; the strongest beat is on the third syllable. For audio, listen to medical pronunciation resources and record yourself to compare.”,
Common errors include misplacing the stress (often stressing the first or second syllable) and conflating 'lei-' with 'lie' vs. 'lei-oh' leading to /ˈlaɪɪoʊˌmaɪˈoʊmə/. Correct approach breaks it into four syllables with primary stress on the third: lei-o-MY-o-ma. Ensure the /ˈmyo/ sequence uses a clear /j/ glide and avoid turning /maɪ/ into /mæɪ/ or /mə/. Practice: say 'lie-oh-my-uh-ma' slowly, then increase speed while keeping the third syllable strong.
US: stress on the third syllable: /ˌlaɪ.oʊˌmaɪˈoʊ.mə/ with a rhotic rless? No, rhotics not involved here; vowel qualities are clear /aɪ/ in 'lie' and /oʊ/ in 'oh'. UK: /ˌlaɪəʊˈmaɪəˌmɒmə/ with a shorter /ɒ/ in the final syllable and less diphthongal precision in some regions. Australian: often similar to UK but with flatter vowels and a tendency to reduce /ə/ in unstressed syllables; sometimes the final /ə/ becomes /ɪə/ or /ə/. The key differences are vowel quality shifts and rhythm; keep the /maɪoʊ/ sequence intact across accents.
Three main challenges: the multi-syllabic structure; the 'lei-’ cluster with /laɪ/ or /laɪə/ followed by /oʊ/ then /maɪ/; and the final /-mə/ with a schwa-like unstressed ending. The pitch and duration shifts between syllables can hide the primary stress. Muscular 'myo' cluster (myo) requires a crisp /j/ glide between /o/ and /ɪ/; do not reduce /maɪ/ to /maɪ/ quickly. Practice slow, then speed to maintain accurate stress and vowels.
Q: Is there a silent letter in leiomyoma? A: No; all letters are pronounced in typical clinical speech, though the middle 'o' and 'myo' can be reduced in rapid speech to a light /o/ or /ɔ/ depending on accent. Another way to phrase it: the 'eio' vowels combine to produce the 'lie-oh' sound rather than silent letters; maintain the /laɪ/ and /maɪ/ sequences clearly.
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Leiomyoma derives from the combining form leio- (slender or smooth) from the Greek leios (smooth) and myo- (muscle) from mys (muscle), combined with -oma (tumor) from Greek -ōma. The term first entered medical nomenclature in the 19th century as histology and pathology formalized tumor classifications. Its literal meaning—smooth muscle tumor—aligns with its histologic appearance: bundles of smooth muscle cells arranged in whorled patterns. Over time, leiomyomas have been distinguished by location (uterine, cutaneous, vascular) and behavior (benign, non-metastatic). The word’s usage intensified with gynecological practice, where uterine leiomyomas (fibroids) represent a common clinical condition, prompting ongoing research into pathophysiology, hormonal influences, and treatment options.
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Words that rhyme with "Leiomyoma"
-gma sounds
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