3 syllables: Scap, u, la. Stress on Scap.
SKAP-yuh-luh
/ˈskæpjələ/
Scapula is pronounced SKAP-yuh-luh (/ˈskæpjələ/). It has three syllables (Scap-u-la), with the stress on "Scap". Scapula is the flat, roughly triangular bone forming the back part of the shoulder girdle, connecting the upper arm bone to the rib cage via muscles. It serves as the anchor for shoulder motion and muscle attachments. The term specifically denotes the shoulder blade used in anatomy and medical contexts.
nounScapula is the flat, roughly triangular bone forming the back part of the shoulder girdle, connecting the upper arm bone to the rib cage via muscles. It serves as the anchor for shoulder motion and muscle attachments. The term specifically denotes the shoulder blade used in anatomy and medical contexts.
How to Pronounce Scapula
"The scapula articulates with the humerus at the glenoid cavity."
"Fractures of the scapula are relatively uncommon compared to other shoulder injuries."
"Muscle detachments from the scapula can affect arm mobility."
-scă-ˈpyu-lə- in three syllables: /ˈskæp.jə.lə/ in US/UK/AU. Primary stress on the first syllable: SCAP-u-la. Break it as sca-PU-la? Actually, /ˈskæp.jə.lə/: 'skap' + 'yuh' + 'luh'. Start with a crisp /sk/ cluster, short /æ/ as in cat, then a schwa-like /jə/ before the final /lə/. Quick tip: emphasize the first syllable then keep the rest light. You can listen to examples on Pronounce or Forvo for a natural cadence.
Two frequent errors: (1) stressing the wrong syllable (e.g., /ˈskæp.juː.lə/ or /ˈskæp.jùlə/) and (2) mispronouncing the middle /jə/ as /juː/ or turning it into /ɪ/; correct is /jə/, a soft 'yuh' sound. Another pitfall is drawing out the final syllable; keep it short and unstressed. Practice by chunking into /ˈskæp/ + /jə/ + /lə/ and recording to check stress and vowel quality.
US, UK, and AU share /ˈskæp.jə.lə/ overall. Differences are subtle: US tends to reduce the final syllable more quickly and maintain a neutral vowel in the middle /jə/. UK may have a slightly more clipped /ˈskæp.jə.lə/ with less vowel reduction in rapid speech. Australian speech is similar to US but with a more centralized /ə/ and a slightly broader vowel in the first syllable. Overall, rhoticity is not a major factor; rhotic vs non-rhotic accents don’t alter the scapula’s core vowels, but tempo and vowel quality can vary in connected speech.
Difficulties arise from the initial /sk/ cluster, the unstressed /ə/ in the middle, and the final /lə/ that often reduces in connected speech. The sequence /ˈskæp.jə.lə/ requires precise placement of the tongue for the /sk/ onset, a quick lift to produce /æ/ before a palato-alveolar /j/, and a trailing schwa-plus-L that can blur in fast speech. Practicing in isolation with mirrors and targeted minimal pairs helps solidify the rhythm and reduces slurring.
Unique focus: the medial /j/ glide between the first and last syllables. It’s not a separate vowel; it’s a rapid /j/ that connects /p/ to /ə/. You’ll hear many speakers insert a slight vowel before the final /lə/ if rushing, so aim for a clean /jə/ sequence. Emphasize the transition from /p/ to /j/ to avoid a mispronunciation like /ˈskæpjuːlə/ where the /j/ blends into a /juː/ glide.
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Scapula comes from Latin scapula, meaning shoulder blade or shoulder bone, derived from scapus ‘stem, stalk’ in medieval and classical Latin usage; however, the exact anatomical term emphasizes a blade-like shape. The Latin form scapula entered English medical vocabulary by the late 16th to 17th centuries as anatomy sections expanded in taught dissections. The word is connected to Greek skápula (σκάπους) via Latin adoption, underscoring the blade-like, flat surface design of the bone. Over time, the term has remained stable in anatomical nomenclature, with no major semantic drift, maintaining its precise reference to the bone behind the shoulder. First known uses appear in early modern anatomical textbooks as surgeons formalized the skeleton’s terminology, and by the 18th-19th centuries it became standard in medical Latin-based nomenclature used in English texts. The root conveys the image of a blade or flat plane on the body’s side, which aligns with the scapula’s geometry articulating with the humerus and rib cage through muscles and joints. The etymology underscores the blend of Latin and Greek anatomical tradition that shaped modern medical terminology.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Scapula" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Scapula" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Scapula"
-ula sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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