3 syllables: Pneu, mo, nia. Stress on mo.
noo-MOH-nyuh
/nuˈmoʊnjə/
Pneumonia is pronounced noo-MOH-nyuh (/nuˈmoʊnjə/). It has three syllables (Pneu-mo-nia), with the stress on "mo". Pneumonia is a medical condition characterized by inflammation and infection of the air sacs in one or both lungs, often causing cough, fever, and breathing difficulty. While it ranges in severity, early recognition and treatment are important. The term is used in medical contexts and everyday language when discussing respiratory health.
nounPneumonia is a medical condition characterized by inflammation and infection of the air sacs in one or both lungs, often causing cough, fever, and breathing difficulty. While it ranges in severity, early recognition and treatment are important. The term is used in medical contexts and everyday language when discussing respiratory health.
How to Pronounce Pneumonia
"The doctor diagnosed pneumonia after the patient developed a high fever and a persistent cough."
"Children are particularly vulnerable to pneumonia and may require antibiotics and supportive care."
"He was hospitalized with bacterial pneumonia and received IV antibiotics."
Pneumonia is pronounced nu-MO-nee-uh in many English varieties, with primary stress on the second syllable: /nuːˈmoʊ.ni.ə/ (US) or /njuːˈməʊ.ni.ə/ (UK). Break it into four syllables: ne-u-mo-nia, with the peak stress on -mo-, and a light, quick ending 'nia.' If you say it quickly, the final 'a' is a schwa or a short vowel, depending on the speaker. Audio references vary slightly by accent, but the core rhythm remains UN-moe-NEE-uh.
Common errors: (1) stressing the first syllable instead of the second, saying /ˌnjuːˈmɔːnjiə/ or /n(j)uːˈmɔːnija/. (2) pronouncing the 'pn' cluster as consonant-heavy; the 'p' is often silent in connected speech, giving /nuˈmoʊniə/. (3) mispronouncing the 'ea' as a long 'e' as in 'ne-io-'; instead keep /-oʊ-/. Correction: place primary stress on the second syllable, glide the 'u' lightly, and reduce the final vowel to a soft schwa: nu-MO-nee-ə.
In US English, expect /nuːˈmoʊ.ni.ə/ with a clear /oʊ/ in the second syllable and an unstressed final /ə/. UK English tends to /njuːˈməʊ.ni.ə/ with a longer /əʊ/ diphthong in the second syllable and non-rhotic r-less ending. Australian English is similar to UK, but you might hear slightly broader vowel qualities and a lightly affricated 'n' in rapid speech. Across all, the 'pn' cluster remains silent, and the stress sits on the second syllable.
The difficulty lies in the initial 'pn' cluster where the 'p' is silent, and the multi-syllable rhythm with a stressed second syllable. Learners also juggle a long 'o' vowel in the 'mo' portion and a trailing, subtle final vowel. Mastery requires careful syllable segmentation, consistent stress placement, and controlled voicing in the mid-to-final vowels. IPA cues /nuːˈmoʊ.ni.ə/ (US) guide accurate articulation.
A distinctive feature is the silent initial 'p' and the four-syllable rhythm with stress on the second syllable. Practically, you should begin with a light, almost whispered onset on the first syllable ('ne'), coast into the stressed 'mo' syllable, and finish with a soft 'ni-ə.' Paying attention to the vowel quality in '-mo-' that’s a long 'o' (/oʊ/) helps you avoid mixing it with other similar-sounding medical terms.
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Pneumonia comes from the late Latin pneumonīa, from the Greek pneumonía meaning 'lung disease,' from pneún meaning 'lung' or 'air' and the suffix -ia denoting a condition. The root pneún appears across Greek terms for breath and wind. In English, the word entered medical usage in the 18th and 19th centuries as physicians formalized disease names, distinguishing pneumonia from other lung ailments like bronchitis. Throughout history, the concept of lung inflammation tied to infection has remained central, with early physicians describing signs such as fever and chest sounds. The modern term references the affected organ (lung) and a diseased state (-ia). Over time, advances in microbiology shifted pneumonia from a purely descriptive label to a diagnosis that often implies etiology (bacterial, viral, or atypical) and treatment strategies, including antibiotics and supportive care. First known usage in English documents appears in medical treatises of the 1700s, with more precise definitions evolving as clinicians mapped symptoms to the organ-specific pathology.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Pneumonia" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Pneumonia"
-nia sounds
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