8 syllables: pe, ri, to, ne, al di, a, ly, sis. Stress on ly.
pur-it-uh-nee-uhl-deye-AL-is-is
/pɚɪtəniːəl daɪˈælɪsɪs/
Peritoneal Dialysis is pronounced pur-it-uh-nee-uhl-deye-AL-is-is (/pɚɪtəniːəl daɪˈælɪsɪs/). It has eight syllables (pe-ri-to-ne-al di-a-ly-sis), with the stress on "ly". Peritoneal dialysis is a kidney replacement therapy in which a dialysis solution is infused into the abdominal cavity to absorb waste products and excess fluid, then drained. It is performed either at home or in a clinical setting, using the peritoneum as a semipermeable membrane. The term combines peritoneum with dialysis, reflecting its mechanism of dialysis within the abdominal cavity.
nounPeritoneal dialysis is a kidney replacement therapy in which a dialysis solution is infused into the abdominal cavity to absorb waste products and excess fluid, then drained. It is performed either at home or in a clinical setting, using the peritoneum as a semipermeable membrane. The term combines peritoneum with dialysis, reflecting its mechanism of dialysis within the abdominal cavity.
"The patient chose peritoneal dialysis after weighing the options for home-based treatment."
"Peritoneal dialysis requires strict sterile technique to prevent infections."
"During training, we practiced the exchange steps for peritoneal dialysis."
Pronunciation: pə-RI-toe-NEE-əl dy-AL-uh-sis (US) / pə-RI-tə-NEE-əl dy-AL-uh-sis (UK). Stress falls on the second syllable of peritoneal (NEE) and on dial- in dialysis (AL). The sequence breaks into: /pəˌrɪtəˈniːəl/ + /daɪˈælɪsəs/. Mouth positions: soft with light r-coloring in US; the -ne- as a long E; the -lysis with a clear L- followed by ə-sis. Listening reference: you’ll hear the emphasis on NI- and AL- in many tutorials.
Common errors: (1) Stress on the first syllable of peritoneal instead of the second; (2) Misplacing the -nee- in peritoneal; (3) Vowel error in dialysis as /dɪˈæliːsɪs/ instead of /daɪˈæləsɪs/. Correction: place primary stress on /ˈniː/ in peritoneal and on /ˈæl/ in dialysis; use /daɪˈæləsɪs/ for the second word, with an initial light “d.” Practice with slow repetition and record yourself to compare with IPA guides.
US: /pəˌrɪˈtoʊniəl daɪˈæləsɪs/ with rhotic r and a longer /oʊ/ in toe. UK: /pəˌrɪtəˈniːəl daɪˈæləsɪs/ with non-rhotic r and a longer /iː/ in -ne-əl. AU: similar to UK but with Australian Vowel shift: /pəˌrɪtəˈniːəl daɪˈæləsɪs/, slight flattening of vowels and r-coloring reduced in some speakers. Pay attention to /daɪˈæləsɪs/ in all accents; the first word emphasizes second syllable; rhotics vary by region.
Two main hurdles: the multi-syllabic structure and unfamiliar consonant clusters. Peritoneal has three syllables with a mid-stressed second syllable ending in /niːəl/, and dialysis introduces the /daɪ-æləsɪs/ sequence with a long diphthong /aɪ/ and a light /l/ followed by /əsɪs/. The combination can distort in rapid speech; slow, deliberate articulation and chunking into per-i-tone-ial and di-a-lysis helps maintain accuracy. Use IPA cues to guide mouth positions.
Typically yes in careful speech, you’ll hear secondary stress on -ne- in peritoneal and primary stress on -lysis within dialysis. In casual speech, stress may shift slightly, but educated or medical contexts retain the emphasis on the mid-to-late portion of peritoneal and the -lysis syllable of dialysis. IPA anchors: /ˌpɛrɪˈtoʊniəl daɪˈæləsɪs/ (example) with attention to /ˈniː/ and /ˈæl/ in US usage.
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Peritoneal derives from the medieval Latin peritoneum, from Greek peritoneon, meaning ‘the stretched thing surrounding,’ from peri- ‘around’ + teinein ‘to stretch.’ Dialysis comes from the Greek dia- ‘through’ + lysis ‘loosening, loosening apart.’ The compound term likely appeared in medical literature in the 1930s–1950s as clinicians described exchanges across the peritoneal membrane. The concept of using the peritoneal cavity as a filter for waste products emerged in the 20th century; the technique gained prominence in home-based kidney therapies in the 1960s–1980s, with modern continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) variants developing later. First known uses tend to appear in nephrology texts and surgical manuals, with evolving descriptions of catheter placement, exchange cycles, and infection control protocols. The term has become standard in both clinical practice and patient education materials worldwide.
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Words that rhyme with "Peritoneal Dialysis"
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