3 syllables: Li, po, ma. Stress on po.
lip-OH-muh
/lɪˈpoʊmə/
Lipoma is pronounced lip-OH-muh (/lɪˈpoʊmə/). It has three syllables (Li-po-ma), with the stress on "po". Lipoma is a benign tumor of fatty tissue, usually encapsulated and slow-growing. It is typically painless and movable under the skin, most often occurring in the neck, trunk, or shoulders. Clinically, lipomas are common, often requiring evaluation to distinguish from other soft-tissue masses, though many do not require treatment unless they cause symptoms or concern.
nounLipoma is a benign tumor of fatty tissue, usually encapsulated and slow-growing. It is typically painless and movable under the skin, most often occurring in the neck, trunk, or shoulders. Clinically, lipomas are common, often requiring evaluation to distinguish from other soft-tissue masses, though many do not require treatment unless they cause symptoms or concern.
"The patient was diagnosed with a lipoma and opted for observation rather than surgical removal."
"A lipoma can feel soft and rubbery when you palpate it just beneath the skin."
"During the exam, the doctor noted a small, mobile lipoma on the patient's shoulder."
Lipoma is pronounced lɪ-POH-mə with the primary stress on the second syllable. In US English you’ll hear /lɪˈpoʊmə/; UK and AU speakers typically render it as /lɪˈpəʊmə/ or /lɪˈpəʊmə/. The first syllable is light, the second carries the main emphasis, and the final syllable is unstressed. Think “luh-POH-muh” with a rounded mid-back vowel in the stressed syllable. For quick reference, label it as lip-OH-ma, with a long O in the stressed syllable.
Common errors include stressing the first syllable instead of the second (lip-OH-ma is correct; LIP-oh-ma sounds off to listeners), and misproducing the /oʊ/ diphthong as a pure /o/ or a short /o/ sound. Another frequent slip is misplacing the schwa in the unstressed final syllable, producing lip-oh-MUH or lip-OH-muh with unintended emphasis. To correct, place primary stress on the second syllable, shape /oʊ/ accurately with a rounded lips, and keep the final syllable lax and quick (/mə/).
In US English, /lɪˈpoʊmə/ with a clear /oʊ/ in the stressed syllable and rhotic rless final consonant. In UK English, /lɪˈpəʊmə/ often shortens the first vowel a touch and uses /əʊ/ in the stressed syllable, with non-rhotic ending. Australian English generally aligns with /lɪˈpoʊmə/ or /lɪˈpəʊmə/, with slightly reduced vowel clarity in casual speech. Across all three, the critical feature is the second-syllable stress; the vowel in the stressed syllable shifts between /oʊ/ (US) and /əʊ/ (UK/AU).
Two main challenges: a) the bimodal vowel in the stressed syllable (/oʊ/ or /əʊ/) requires precise lip rounding and tongue advancement to avoid a flat /o/ sound, and b) the final unstressed /mə/ can reduce to a schwa that some speakers don’t articulate clearly, making the word sound like lip-OH-muh or lip-OH-muh. Additionally, the sequence l-ih vs l-ih can tempt listeners to misplace the stress. Practicing with slow exaggeration of the second syllable helps stabilize the rhythm and reduces ambiguity.
Note the sonority of the liquid-less onset /l/ followed by a short, high front vowel in the first syllable. The critical feature is the stress on the second syllable and the long vowel in the stressed syllable /poʊ/ or /pəʊ/, not a short /po/; keep the /o/ sound rounded and the jaw slightly lowered. Finally, ensure the final /mə/ is quick and reduced, rather than a full, emphasized syllable. This precise timing yields natural, clinical pronunciation.
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Lipoma derives from the Greek lip(os) meaning fat and -oma meaning tumor or swelling. The term followed a long-standing medical naming pattern where tumors of various tissues are labeled with the suffix -oma, indicating a mass or growth. The root lip- (脂脂) has cognates in Latin and Greek, consistently denoting fat across medical vocabulary. First appearances in English medical literature trace to the 19th century, as pathologists formalized classifications of soft-tissue masses. Over time, lipoma settled as the standard term for benign adipose tumors, distinguishing them from malignant liposarcomas and other fatty lesions. The word’s usage expanded with imaging and surgical modalities that allowed precise diagnosis and management, reinforcing lipoma as a well-understood, non-cancerous entity in routine clinical practice.
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Words that rhyme with "Lipoma"
-oma sounds
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