Myopia is a medical term for nearsightedness, a condition where distant objects appear blurry while close ones are clear. In general usage, it can also metaphorically describe a lack of long-range perspective. The word derives from Greek roots relating to near vision and is commonly used in ophthalmology and psychological discussions on perception.
"Her myopia about future trends led to underestimating the market shifts."
"The doctor diagnosed myopia after a routine eye exam."
"They discussed how unchecked myopia in children can worsen without proper lighting and breaks."
"In policy debates, some fear a societal myopia that ignores long-term consequences."
Myopia comes from late Latin myopia, from Greek myops, meaning 'to close the eyes' or 'short-sighted,' formed from my- 'short' or 'near' + ops, 'eye.' The prefix myo- in medicine often relates to muscle or eye movement (from Greek mys/ myos for 'muscle'), but in myopia it connects to near-focused vision. The term appeared in English in the early 17th century as a medical descriptor for imperfect distant vision. Over time, it expanded from a strict ophthalmologic term to a figurative use indicating short-sightedness in planning or thinking. The earliest known use in print traces to medical treatises describing refractive errors, with core meaning stabilizing around the belief that light focuses in front of the retina when the eye’s shape or curvature alters focusing power.
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Words that rhyme with "Myopia"
-me) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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You say my-OP-ia, with the stress on the second syllable: /maɪˈoʊpiə/ in US, /maɪˈəʊpiə/ in UK/AU. Start with the /maɪ/ as in 'my,' then the stressed /ˈoʊ/ or /ˈəʊ/ before the /piə/. Keep the final 'a' light and quick. If you’re listening, you’ll hear a clear second-syllable peak in American English. Practicing slowly can help you lock in the correct vowel quality and syllable timing.
Common errors include merging the second and third syllables into a single syllable, or shortening the final schwa too much. Some speakers reduce /oʊ/ to a quick /o/ or misplace the stress on the first syllable. To correct: emphasize the second syllable with a true diphthong /oʊ/ (US) or /əʊ/ (UK/AU), then clearly pronounce /piə/ with a light final schwa. Slow down to feel the contour: my-OP-ia.
US tends to preserve /maɪˈoʊpiə/ with a distinct /oʊ/ in the stressed second syllable and a final schwa-like /ə/. UK/AU often realize the second syllable with /ˈəʊ/ and a shorter, clipped final /piə/ or /pɪə/ depending on speaker. The key differences are the quality and length of the second-syllable vowel and the rhoticity of the final 'r' (absent in non-rhotic accents). Overall, the rhythm remains iambic-ish: light-strong-weak.
The difficulty centers on the secondary syllable’s diphthong in stressed position and the final unstressed '-ia' as a schwa-ish or reduced vowel. The combination of /maɪ/ + /ˈoʊ/ or /ˈəʊ/ + /piə/ requires precise lip rounding and tongue height. For some speakers, the 'oi' cluster in 'my' and the 'oa' or 'əʊ' before 'pia' can trip up timing and vowel quality. Focus on distinct vowel shifts and maintaining syllable timing.
A distinctive feature is the secondary-stressed syllable with a clear, long vowel before the consonant cluster. The sequence my-OP-ia requires maintaining a strong peak at the second syllable, then a concise 'pi-a' tail. The 'ia' is not simply /iə/ but a lighter /yə/ or /ə/ depending on accent. Paying attention to the syllable boundary and keeping the /p/ plosive crisp helps achieve natural-sounding articulation.
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