2 syllables: Symp, toms. Stress on Symp.
SIMP-tuhmz
/ˈsɪmptəmz/
Symptoms is pronounced SIMP-tuhmz (/ˈsɪmptəmz/). It has two syllables (Symp-toms), with the stress on "Symp". Symptoms (plural noun) are the outward signs or indications of an illness or condition, perceived by the patient or observed by others. They reflect bodily or mental states that suggest something is wrong, guiding diagnosis and treatment. In medical contexts, symptoms are reported by the patient rather than measured directly, distinguishing them from objective findings.
nounSymptoms (plural noun) are the outward signs or indications of an illness or condition, perceived by the patient or observed by others. They reflect bodily or mental states that suggest something is wrong, guiding diagnosis and treatment. In medical contexts, symptoms are reported by the patient rather than measured directly, distinguishing them from objective findings.
"She reported flu-like symptoms, including fever and fatigue."
"The doctor asked about her symptoms to determine the next tests."
"Persistent headaches can be a symptom of dehydration or stress."
Pronounce as /ˈsɪmp.təmz/. Start with an unstressed schwa-like second syllable; however, the first syllable carries primary stress. The final -s is an voiced z sound /z/ after the -m, not /s/. Tip: keep your lips rounded slightly for the /m/ and then relax into /t/ and /m/ clusters before the /z/. Audio reference: listen to medical diction tutorials in addition to standard dictionaries to hear the exact rhythm.
Common errors: 1) Dropping the final z sound and saying /ˈsɪmp.təm/; correct with a clear /z/. 2) Misplacing stress, as in saying /ˈsɪmp.təmz/ with even stress between syllables; keep primary stress on the first syllable. 3) Over-articulating the second syllable as /təm/ with a hard schwa; aim for a light, quick /tə/ before the final /mz/. Practice with minimal pairs focusing on final sounds.
US/UK/AU share /ˈsɪmp.təmz/ rhythm, but subtle shifts occur. US often has a shorter vowel duration before /m/ and a slightly more rhotic flow; UK tends to crisper consonants with a shortened /ɪ/ and a clearer final /z/. Australian often merges the second syllable to a more centralized /tə/ and maintains the final /z/* with slight vowel reduction. Overall, all three are non-rhotic in some contexts when followed by a consonant, but the rhyme and rhythm remain close to /ˈsɪmp.təmz/.
Two challenges: the onset cluster /sɪmp/ followed by a soft schwa in the second syllable; many speakers blend /mp/ into a quicker /m/ before /pz/ or /mz/, causing /sɪmp.təmz/ to sound like /ˈsɪmp.təmz/ with a weak second syllable. The final /mz/ can blur; practice keeping the final consonant voiced and distinct. Tension around the alveolar stop /t/ can also cause a slur; keep the /t/ clean before the /m/ and /z/.
The second syllable typically uses a reduced vowel in fluent speech, often /tə/ or /m/ with a light schwa-like vowel; but careful enunciation in careful speech yields /sɪmp-tə mz/ with a full-ish /tə/ before the final /mz/. The primary stress remains on the first syllable, guiding rhythm and intelligibility.
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US differences: slight rhoticity and quicker reduction; UK: crisper /t/ and /z/ with noticeable vowel shortening; AU: similar to US but with a more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable and softer /z/. IPA references: US /ˈsɪmp.təmz/, UK /ˈsɪmp.təmz/, AU /ˈsɪmp.təmz/. Vowel quality: US often uses a shorter /ɪ/; UK may have a slightly purer /ɪ/ and less vowel reduction in connected speech; AU tends to a more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable in casual speech.
Symptom comes from the Greek word symptōma, from sun-, ‘together’ and -(t)lōn, ‘to happen, to befall’, originally meaning ‘a sign together with something else’ in medical context. Through Latin symptoma and Old French symptôme, the term entered English in the Late Middle Ages, retaining its sense of an observable indication associated with disease. Early medical writers used symptōm as a stand-in for signs perceived by the patient, evolving into the modern dichotomy of symptoms (subjective experiences) versus signs (objective findings). By the 17th–18th centuries, physicians separated the two for clearer diagnostic criteria, and “symptoms” became the plural form used across clinical specialties. In contemporary usage, “symptom” also broadens to non-medical signs of distress, fatigue, or dysfunction, while still anchoring in patient-reported experience and perception of illness or condition.
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Words that rhyme with "Symptoms"
-pts sounds
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