4 syllables: No, ro, vi, rus. Stress on vi.
naw-ruh-VEYE-ruhs
/nɔɹəˈvaɪɹəs/
Norovirus is pronounced naw-ruh-VEYE-ruhs (/nɔɹəˈvaɪɹəs/). It has four syllables (No-ro-vi-rus), with the stress on "vi". Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis, including vomiting and diarrhea. It spreads rapidly in close quarters and through contaminated food, water, or surfaces. In adults it typically causes short-lived illness, though it can be severe in young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.
nounNorovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis, including vomiting and diarrhea. It spreads rapidly in close quarters and through contaminated food, water, or surfaces. In adults it typically causes short-lived illness, though it can be severe in young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.
- You: You may stress the wrong syllable, saying Nor-O-vír-us instead of Nor-o-VI-rus. Solution: mark the nucleus at /vaɪr/ and rehearse with a metronome to anchor stress. - You: You may flip /ɪ/ into a schwa too early, giving /nɔːrəˈvaɪərəs/ with a long /ərés/. Solution: practice the /ə/ before final /s/ to clean up linking. - You: You may fail to pronounce the final /ɪs/ as /əs/. Solution: practice final-syllable schwa + s cluster, keeping it light and quick.
How to Pronounce Norovirus
"The outbreak was traced to a contaminated venue where several guests contracted Norovirus."
"Hospitals implement strict hygiene protocols to prevent Norovirus transmission."
"Public health advisories often warn about Norovirus in schools after a confirmed case."
Pronounce as /ˌnɔːrəˈvaɪrəs/ (US) or /ˌnɔːrəˈvaɪərəs/ (UK). Stress falls on the second-to-last syllable: nor-o-vi-rus with primary stress on ‘vi’. The initial syllable is unstressed. Start with a rounded ‘nor’ /nɔː/ (like 'nor' in 'nor' thern, but longer), then ‘o’ is a schwa-like or mid vowel; the core is /vaɪr/ for ‘vir’ as in ‘fire’ but with a short schwa before the final /əs/. Audio reference: consult Cambridge/Oxford pronunciation entries or Forvo for native speaker recordings.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress, saying ‘no-ROH-vuh-rus’ with stress on ‘no’; (2) Mispronouncing the /ɔː/ as a short /ɔ/ or /ɒ/ in US vs UK; (3) Flattening /vaɪ/ to /va/ or mispronouncing /r/ in non-rhotic accents. Correction: ensure primary stress on the penultimate syllable cluster ‘vi’ with /vaɪ/ as a diphthong, and keep /r/ as a rhotic approximant in US; in non-rhotic UK, link the /r/ to a vowel before it or drop it in coda position.
US tends to pronounce /ˌnɔːrəˈvaɪrəs/ with rhotic /r/ and clearer /ɜː/ or /ə/ vowels; UK often features non-rhoticity, with /ˌnɔːrəˈvaɪərəs/ and a subtly longer vowel in /ɔː/ and a weaker r-sound; Australian typically aligns with US rhotic clicks but with Australian vowel shifts: /ˌnɔːrəˈvaɪrəs/ with a broad /ɑː/ in /ɔː/ and a rolled or tapped /ɹ/ depending on speaker. Focus on /vaɪ/ as the nucleus and the final /əs/.
Two main challenges: (1) the /ɔː/ vowel in the first syllable and the diphthong /aɪ/ in /vaɪr/ can vary with speaker accent; (2) the final /ɪəs/ vs /ərəs/ in some speakers, and the rhoticity of /r/ affects the sound when linking to the following vowel in connected speech. Practicing the diphthong /aɪ/ and keeping the /r/ articulation distinct in rhotic accents helps clarity.
The sequence 'no-ro-vi-rus' includes two vowels spaced by consonants, with the core /vaɪr/ that closely mirrors the word 'virus' but preceded by a distinct /vaɪ/ sound. The primary stress is on the syllable containing /vaɪr/, and in connected speech, the /r/ often links to the final /əs/. Being precise with /ˌnɔːrəˈvaɪrəs/ helps avoid confusion with similar virus names.
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- US: pronounce with rhotic /r/ and a clear /ɪ/ in /vaɪr/; US vowels often are tenser, especially /ɔː/. - UK: non-rhotic; /r/ is not pronounced in coda; the /ɔː/ vowel is longer; /ə/ reduces more in connected speech. - AU: rhotic but softer; vowels are broader; practice linking and reduced vowels in casual speech.
Norovirus is named after Norwalk, a city in Ohio, where a major outbreak in 1968 led to the identification of the causative virus. The genus is Norovirus, part of the family Caliciviridae. The term derives from ‘Norwalk-like virus,’ shortened as Norovirus, reflecting its origin as a distinct calicivirus associated with gastroenteritis. The naming followed virology conventions that anchor new pathogens to discovery sites or distinctive clinical presentations. Over time, the term Norovirus expanded to include multiple genogroups (GI-GVI) within the same species, all of which cause acute gastroenteritis. The etymology highlights both geographic lineage and the shift from descriptive nickname to formal taxonomy in public health science.
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Help others use "Norovirus" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Norovirus" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Norovirus" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Norovirus"
-rus sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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