4 syllables: Mam, mo, graph, y. Stress on mo.
muh-MAH-gruh-fee
/məˈmɑɡɹəfi/
Mammography is pronounced muh-MAH-gruh-fee (/məˈmɑɡɹəfi/). It has four syllables (Mam-mo-graph-y), with the stress on "mo". Mammography is a specialized medical imaging technique that uses low-energy X-rays to examine the human breast. It is primarily used to detect breast cancer and other breast diseases, often as part of routine screening or diagnostic workups. The term combines ‘mammal,’ from mammary, with ‘ography,’ indicating recording or imaging.
nounMammography is a specialized medical imaging technique that uses low-energy X-rays to examine the human breast. It is primarily used to detect breast cancer and other breast diseases, often as part of routine screening or diagnostic workups. The term combines ‘mammal,’ from mammary, with ‘ography,’ indicating recording or imaging.
How to Pronounce Mammography
"The hospital offers annual mammography for early breast cancer screening."
"She scheduled a mammography after noticing a lump."
"Mammography results can influence the next steps in treatment."
Pronounced /ˌmæməˈɡræfi/. Break it into two main parts: mam-mo-graph-y, with the primary stress on the third syllable GRAPH. The first syllable rhymes with ‘ham,’ the second is a soft ‘mo’ and the third emphasizes ‘graph,’ followed quickly by a soft ‘ee’ sound at the end. Your mouth starts with a light /æ/ then moves to /ə/ and ends with /i/; keep the tongue low, lips relaxed, and avoid tensing the jaw. Audio reference: you’ll hear mam-MOG-rah-fee in many medical pronunciations.
Common errors: misplacing the primary stress (putting it on MAM- instead of GRAPH). Another frequent mistake is mispronouncing the /æ/ in the first syllable as /e/ or /æ/ as a short schwa with too much reduction. Also, people sometimes confuse -graphy with -graph, so the ending may sound like ‘-graff-ee’ instead of ‘-gra-fee.’ Correction tips: practice the tri-syllabic rhythm mam-mo-graphy, emphasize GRAPH, and end with a clear long e /i/.
US UK AU all share /ˌmæməˈɡræfi/. US tends to reduce the second syllable slightly as /ˌmæməˈɡræfi/, UK and AU maintain clear /ə/ in the second syllable; rhoticity doesn’t change the core word since /r/ in graphy is not pronounced in many British RP realizations before a non-rhotic vowel. The final /i/ tends to be a crisp /i:/ in British English in careful speech, while American might be a slightly shorter /i/ depending on speed. Overall the stress pattern remains the same; vowel quality evolves subtly with accent.
It’s a multisyllabic medical term with three strong consonant clusters: /mæm-/, /ɡræf-/, and the trailing /i/. The tricky parts include the /æ/ in the first syllable, the /ɡræf/ consonant cluster, and ending with /i/ after /f/. The middle syllable carries the primary stress, which can trip speakers who are not used to English medical terms. Slow practice with IPA cues and tongue positioning helps: start with /mæm/ then smoothly glide to /ˈɡræ/ then finalize with /fi/.
A unique nuance is the sequence /ˈmæməˌɡræfi/ where the 'raphy' component pushes onto the 'graph' stress; people often misplace the primary stress, saying /ˌmæməˈɡræfi/ or /ˌmæməgˈræfi/. The correct, natural pattern places primary stress on GRAPH (the third syllable), giving /ˌmæməˈɡræfi/ in many varieties. Also, ensure the /æ/ in the first syllable remains open and the /i/ at the end is a light, unstressed /i/.
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Mammography derives from the combining form mammo- from the Latin mamma meaning ‘breast,’ plus -graphy from Greek -graphia meaning ‘writing’ or ‘recording.’ The root mammo- relates to the breast tissue, and -graphy denotes the process of recording images or data. The term appears in medical literature in the 20th century, paralleling other imaging specialties like radiography and radiology. Early breast imaging used cinefluoroscopy and plain X-rays; as technology advanced, dedicated mammography machines with compression and low-energy X-rays allowed standardized screening protocols. The first widely adopted screening mammograms emerged in the 1960s–1970s, evolving with digital detectors and tomosynthesis in the 2000s. Today, mammography is a core, evidence-based screening modality, with standardized protocols and reporting systems like BI-RADS. The word itself entered common medical parlance as imaging methods refined, making the term a stable, recognizable label for breast imaging.
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Words that rhyme with "Mammography"
-phy sounds
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