4 syllables: sa, li, va, ry glands. Stress on li.
suh-LEYE-vuh-ree-glandz
/səˈlaɪvəri ɡlændz/
Salivary Glands is pronounced suh-LEYE-vuh-ree-glandz (/səˈlaɪvəri ɡlændz/). It has four syllables (sa-li-va-ry glands), with the stress on "li". Salivary Glands are the structures in the mouth and throat that produce saliva. They include major glands like the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands, plus numerous minor glands. These glands secrete saliva to aid digestion, lubrication, and oral health, and their activity can be affected by disease or medications.
proper nounSalivary Glands are the structures in the mouth and throat that produce saliva. They include major glands like the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands, plus numerous minor glands. These glands secrete saliva to aid digestion, lubrication, and oral health, and their activity can be affected by disease or medications.
How to Pronounce Salivary Glands
"The physician explained how the salivary glands contribute to digestion."
"Chronic infection can involve the salivary glands and cause swelling."
"During dehydration, the salivary glands produce less saliva."
Say salivary as /ˌsælɪˈviəri/ (sa-LIV-ee-uh-ree). The secondary stress is on the second syllable, primary on the third, with a long /iː/ in the “viar” portion and a clear /ɡlændz/ for glands. Then say glands /ɡlændz/. Put a light pause between words and keep the final /z/ voiced. Audio: refer to medical pronunciation resources or Pronounce videos for native speaker reference.
Common errors: placing primary stress on sal- instead of -viari, and flattening the /ɪ/ in sali- to a schwa. Also merging the two words too tightly so /ˌsælɪˈviəri/ becomes /ˈsælɪviəri/ or /ˌsalɪˈviərɪ/. Correction: segment as /ˌsælɪˈviəri ˈɡlændz/ with crisp /ˈɡlændz/ and keep /j/ after vi- in -viəri. Practice pausing between words and emphasizing the second syllable of salivary, then the final consonant cluster.
US: /ˌsælɪˈviəri ˈɡlændz/ with rhotic rlessness in 'salivary' and strong /r/ in -viəri; UK: /ˌsælɪˈviːəri ˈɡlændz/ with longer /iː/ and less rhoticity in some accents; AU: /ˌsælɪˈviəri ˈɡlændz/ similar to US but with flatter vowel quality and non-rhotic tendencies in some speakers. In all, the main differences are vowel length and rhoticity; UK may have a slightly closer front vowel in -viəri, Australia often aligns with American vowel chart but with broader mouth posture.
Two main challenges: 1) The multi-syllabic salivary has a lighter /ɪ/ and a mid-to-high /iə/ sequence; keep them distinct rather than diphthongizing. 2) The cluster /ɡlændz/ follows a nasal or vowel end, so avoid linking to prior word; practice the transition from a vowel or /ɪ/ into /g/. Focus on the contrast of /v/ vs /ɪ/ and the z voiced final cluster. IPA cues and minimal-pair practice help.
The 'l' in salivary is light to moderate rather than heavy. It should be an alveolar-alveolar blend toward the tongue tip touching the ridge behind upper teeth, but not a dark, heavy L. Maintain a clear /l/ without intrusive vowel sounds. Use a quick, light touch to avoid elongating the word unnecessarily.
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Salivary comes from Latin salivarius, from saliva meaning saliva, with the suffix -ary indicating pertaining to. glands traces to Old English gloid, Proto-Germanic *glaidan- in reference to a gland or duct related to secretion, combined with gland from Latin glandula (“a small gland, swelling, bud”). The term saliva itself derives from Latin saliva, echoing the liquid produced in the mouth. The phrase salivary glands as a compound likely coalesced in medical Latin and early English anatomy texts in the 17th–18th centuries as anatomical dissection and physiology advanced. First known uses appear in anatomical treatises that describe the glands of the mouth and their secretions, with “salivary” used to specify things relating to saliva and its glands. Over centuries, the terminology normalized to a standard binomial for clinicians and researchers. In modern medicine, salivary glands collectively describe the trio of major glands and numerous minor glands, with terms like parotid, submandibular, and sublingual as specific examples and clinical descriptors in radiology, pathology, and surgery.
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Words that rhyme with "Salivary Glands"
-nds sounds
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