6 syllables: lymph, a, de, nec, to, my. Stress on nec.
lim-fuh-duh-NEK-tuh-mee
/lɪmf ə də ˈnɛk tə mi/
lymphadenectomy is pronounced lim-fuh-duh-NEK-tuh-mee (/lɪmf ə də ˈnɛk tə mi/). It has six syllables (lymph-a-de-nec-to-my), with the stress on "nec". Lymphadenectomy is a surgical procedure to remove lymph nodes, typically to diagnose or treat cancer. It involves careful dissection of nodal tissue while preserving surrounding structures. The term combines lymph, referring to lymphatic tissue, with adenectomy, meaning excision of a gland or gland-like tissue, though lymph nodes are not glands.".
Lymphadenectomy is a surgical procedure to remove lymph nodes, typically to diagnose or treat cancer. It involves careful dissection of nodal tissue while preserving surrounding structures. The term combines lymph, referring to lymphatic tissue, with adenectomy, meaning excision of a gland or gland-like tissue, though lymph nodes are not glands."
"The surgeon performed a selective lymphadenectomy to stage the cancer."
"Preoperative planning for lymphadenectomy included imaging to map nodal basins."
"Lymphadenectomy can reduce metastatic spread when combined with other therapies."
/ˌlɪmfəˌdadeˈnɛktəmi/ in US, /ˌlɪmfənˈdɛktiːmi/ in UK, /ˌlɪmfənˈdɛkˌtæmi/ in AU. Primary stress falls on the antepenult or penult depending on dialect; the sequence lymph-a-de-nect-omy flows as four clear syllables after the initial 'lymph' cluster. Focus on a light syllable break after 'lym' and a crisp '-dɛk-' before the final '-tæmi'/'-tiːmi'. Practicing with: LYM-phuh-DAH-den-ek-tuh-mee (US) helps. Listen for the short i in lymph and the clear dɛk sound before -t-.
Common errors include: 1) Dropping the syllable boundary before 'aden' (saying LYM-fuh-AD-en-eck-toh-mee) instead of pausing between -lymph and -aden-. 2) Misplacing stress on the second or third syllable; aim for stress pattern LYM-phad-uh-NEK-tuh-mee or LYM-fuh-DAH-den-ec-tuh-mee depending on dialect. 3) Vowel quality in 'aden' (əy-ən) often becomes 'a-de-'; keep a clear schwa in US for 'uh' before 'den'. Practice with IPA cues to correct.
US tends to reduce some vowels and place stress on the 'NEK' syllable: /ˌlɪmfəˌdadeˈnɛktəmi/. UK often shifts to /ˌlɪmfənˈdɛktiːmi/, with a longer final '-ee' vowel in -ectomy. AU mirrors UK patterns but may de-emphasize the 'j' like glide in '-ectomy' and slightly flatter vowel qualities. Across all, the leading 'lym' remains consonant-heavy; the crucial contrast is in the '-dɛn/ dɛk-' and the final '-mi/tiːmi' vowels. Listening to native medical narration helps align your rhythm.
The difficulty centers on the cluster lymph- plus aden- and the soft, quick transition into -ectomy. The initial syllable ends with a palatal air release; 'lymph' has an /ɪ/ followed by an /m/ and a silent 'p', which beginners often mispronounce. The 'aden' portion includes a schwa before the 'den' and a tough 'd' onset after the elision from 'lym' to 'aden'. The final '-ectomy' introduces either -kate- or -tiː- depending on dialect. Mastery requires segmentation and careful jaw-tongue coordination.
A unique point is the transition from the nasal 'lym' to the syllabic 'fa' or 'phad' depending on pronunciation; the 'aden' sequence can be mistaken as a hard 'gland' term, but it is not. Emphasize the -den- in many dialects and ensure the 'd' is a true stop, not softened to a 't' in rapid speech. Pay attention to the suffix -ectomy: Americans may compress to -ekt-uh-mee, while others extend the vowel in -ectomy. Focusing on segmental syllables helps with consistent delivery.
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- US: emphasize rhotic clarity and short i in lymph; maintain a schwa in the 'aden' portion; final -ectomy often reduced to -ektuh-mee. IPA: /ˌlɪmfəˌdadeˈnɛktəmi/. - UK: slightly more clipped vowels; /ˌlɪmfənˈdɛktiːmi/ with a longer final '-ee' in -ectomy; ensure non-rhoticity is respected (no r after vowels unless followed by a vowel). - AU: similar to UK with mild vowel quality differences; keep a clear 'd' onset after 'lym' and a crisp -t- in -ectomy. Across accents, the critical articulatory tasks are: maintaining the -d- plosive before -en-, and the final -ti/ -tiː/ -mee realization. Use IPA as a guiding anchor and practice with native audio.
The word lymphadenectomy derives from the Greek lympha (lymph) + adenos (gland) and the ending -ectomy from ekteme, meaning cutting out or excision. Historically the term reflects an initial misnomer equating lymph nodes with glands, likely because early anatomists described enlarged lymph nodes as “glands.” The modern understanding distinguishes lymph nodes as part of the lymphatic system rather than true glands; however, the historical framing persisted in medical language. The first element, lymph-, traces to Old French lymph and Latin lympha, linked to the lymphatic fluid and pathway named by ancient Greek anatomists. Adenectomy (aden- gland + -ectomy) originated from Greek adenos (gland) and ektemai (to cut out), with first attestations in surgical and anatomical texts of the 19th century. The compound lymphadenectomy emerged in the 20th century as techniques for regional lymph node dissection advanced, particularly in oncology for staging and reducing disease burden. The term reflects both the anatomical focus (lymph nodes) and the procedure (excision), with usage expanding alongside modern cancer surgery practices.
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Words that rhyme with "lymphadenectomy"
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