4 syllables: Pro, sta, ti, tis. Stress on sta.
proh-STAY-tit-is
/ˌproʊˈsteɪtɪtɪs/
Prostatitis is pronounced proh-STAY-tit-is (/ˌproʊˈsteɪtɪtɪs/). It has four syllables (Pro-sta-ti-tis), with the stress on "sta". Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland, often caused by infection or noninfectious factors. It can present as pelvic pain, urinary symptoms, or fever, and is diagnosed clinically with consideration of symptoms and, when needed, examination or tests. The term covers acute, chronic, and asymptomatic inflammatory conditions of the prostate.
nounProstatitis is an inflammation of the prostate gland, often caused by infection or noninfectious factors. It can present as pelvic pain, urinary symptoms, or fever, and is diagnosed clinically with consideration of symptoms and, when needed, examination or tests. The term covers acute, chronic, and asymptomatic inflammatory conditions of the prostate.
- You will hear a tendency to flatten the diphthong in the initial syllable; fix by maintaining a clear /oʊ/ or /ɒ/ depending on accent. - People sometimes misplace the primary stress on the first or last syllable; ensure the stress sits on the second syllable: pro-STAtitis.
"The clinician diagnosed prostatitis after evaluating the patient’s urinary symptoms and pelvic pain."
"Prostatitis can mimic a urinary tract infection but may require different treatment."
"Chronic prostatitis may persist for months despite initial antibiotic therapy."
Pronounce as proh-STAH-tuh-tis, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA: US /ˌproʊˈstætɪtɪs/, UK /ˌprɒˈstætaɪtɪs/, AU /ˌprɒˈstætaɪtɪs/. Break it into pro-STAT-itis; start with /prəʊ/ or /prɒ/ depending on accent, then /ˈstæt/ or /ˈstæt/, then /ɪtɪs/. Focus on the /t/ cluster between /st/ and /æt/ and the final /ɪs/. Audio reference: you can compare with standard medical pronunciation in dictionary apps or YouTube pronunciation videos to hear the rhythm and final -tis.
Common mistakes: (1) Misplacing primary stress to the first syllable (pro-STAH-tuh-tis vs pro-S tat-itis). Place strong emphasis on the second syllable: /ˌproʊˈstætɪtɪs/. (2) Slurring /tɪs/ into /ˈtɪs/; ensure the final -itis has a distinct /tɪs/ rather than a quick /tɪs/. (3) Vowel quality: US /oʊ/ vs UK /ɒ/ in the initial syllable; keep a clear /oʊ/ or /ɒ/ sound depending on accent. Practice by isolating each segment and then blending.
US tends to use /ˌproʊˈstætɪtɪs/ with a clear /oʊ/ and rhotic /r/ onset in many speakers. UK often features /ˌprɒˈstætaɪtɪs/ with a shorter /ɒ/ in the first vowel and a more syllabic /t/ cluster. Australian can be similar to UK but may display slightly broader vowels or a more centralized /ə/ in the unstressed portions. The primary stress remains on the second syllable across accents; nonrhotic tendencies in some UK varieties may alter r-coloring, but here the word’s initial /r/ is not heavily rhoticized. IPA guidance: US /ˌproʊˈstætɪtɪs/, UK /ˌprɒˈstætaɪtɪs/, AU /ˌprɒˈstætaɪtɪs/.
It blends a long, rising initial vowel with a tricky consonant cluster /stæt/ and a final -itis that can blur in rapid speech. The challenge is the transition from /st/ to /æt/ and maintaining a crisp /t/ before the /ɪ/ of -itis. Non-native speakers often misplace the stress or substitute a simpler vowel in /proʊ/. Also, medical terms with -itis endings can lead to over- or under- pronouncing the suffix. Practice segmenting into syllables and using a mirror to monitor lip/jaw tension.
Prostatitis has no silent letters. The sequence /stæt/ includes a strong /s/ plus /t/ between vowels, which can be challenging to articulate as a clean cluster in rapid speech. The key is precise consonant production and avoiding assimilation that reduces the /t/ into a tap. Also, the suffix -itis is pronounced as /ɪtɪs/, so avoid reducing it to /ɪs/ or /tɪs/. Focus on keeping the /t/ as a clear, audible stop before the /ɪ/.
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- US: rhotic /r/ in initial cluster if pronounced in connected speech, finish lower in the mouth with a crisp /t/. - UK: shorter first vowel, nonrhotic r; keep /ɒ/ sound and a more clipped /tɪs/. - AU: similar to UK with slightly more open vowels and sometimes less tense jaw. Vowel shifts: /oʊ/ ≈ US, /ɒ/ ≈ UK, /ɒ/ or /ɔ/ in AU. IPA references above.
Prostatitis originates from Latin prostata, meaning ‘prostate gland,’ combined with -itis, a Greek-derived suffix meaning ‘inflammation.’ Prostata traces to Medieval Latin, rooted in the Latin prostata meaning ‘standing forth’ metaphorically connected to the prostate’s anatomical location. The suffix -itis appears in many medical terms to denote inflammation. The first known use of the term prostatitis in English texts appeared in medical literature in the late 19th to early 20th century as clinicians described inflammatory conditions of the prostate. Over time, it has encompassed acute, chronic bacterial prostatitis and chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (now often termed chronic pelvic pain syndrome), reflecting evolving understanding of etiology and clinical presentation. The word’s Latin-Greek blend mirrors the long-standing tradition of medical terminology combining classical roots with modern diagnostic categories, enabling precise description of inflammatory prostatic conditions across languages and regions.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Prostatitis" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Prostatitis"
-ist sounds
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