toh-MOH-graf-ee
/toʊˈmoʊɡɹæˌfi/
tomography is pronounced toh-MOH-graf-ee (/toʊˈmoʊɡɹæˌfi/). Tomography is a branch of medical imaging that reconstructs cross-sectional images of an object from projection data, typically using X-rays or other modalities. The term encompasses the methods and processes that yield layered, three-dimensional views, enabling detailed internal observation. It combines images from many angles to create a precise, slice-by-slice representation for diagnostic analysis.
Tomography is a branch of medical imaging that reconstructs cross-sectional images of an object from projection data, typically using X-rays or other modalities. The term encompasses the methods and processes that yield layered, three-dimensional views, enabling detailed internal observation. It combines images from many angles to create a precise, slice-by-slice representation for diagnostic analysis.
"Doctors used computed tomography to quickly assess internal injuries."
"Researchers employed tomography to visualize the internal structure of the plant stem."
"Industrial tomography allows non-destructive testing of complex components."
Tomography is pronounced to-MOG-rah-fee with primary stress on the second syllable: /təˈmɒɡ.rə.fi/ (US/UK) and /təˈmɒɡ.rə.fi/; the initial schwa leads into a clear ‘mog’ with the o as in ‘cot,’ followed by ‘rah’ and a final ‘fee.’ Focus on keeping /ˈmɒɡ/ strong and short, and ensure the final /‑fi/ is a clean syllable rather than a clipped ‘fee-’ tail. Listening to a native speaker will reinforce the rhythm.
Common errors include misplacing stress (trying to stresses on the first or last syllable) and mispronouncing the middle syllable as ‘moh-GRAH-fee’ or ‘MOH-gram-uh-fee.’ Correct by stressing the second syllable: to-MOG-ra-phy, ensure the middle syllable has a short, crisp /ɡ/ with a tight /ˈmɒɡ/ cluster and the final /‑fi/ is a light, separate syllable. Practice with slow, deliberate enunciation of each part.
In US/UK/AU, the core /təˈmɒɡ.rə.fi/ remains consistent, with slight vowel quality shifts: US often has a slightly tighter /ɒ/ and a sharper /ɡ/; UK may show a more open /ɒ/ and crisper /ə/ in the second syllable; Australian tends toward a broader vowel in the first and a smoother, less defined final /fi/. Rhoticity is minimal in all three for this word, so the /r/ is only implied by the second syllable’s /rə/ rather than being pronounced as a strong rhotic link in non-rhotic accents.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllable rhythm and the internal /mɒɡ/ cluster, plus the delicate /rə/ sequence between the stressed and unstressed syllables. The combination of a stressed velar /ɡ/ adjacent to a schwa-onset /rə/ can tempt an over- or under-articulated vowel. Maintaining even tempo across four syllables and avoiding a mis-timed /ɡ/ or a stray /t/ is essential. Practice with careful, stepwise articulation helps.
Why does tomography often require back-projection reconstruction, and how does that influence pronunciation? The word itself doesn’t reveal the method, but when you say it, emphasize the ‘to-MOG-’ onset and the final ‘‑phy’ ending to avoid blending into ‘-graphy’ in informal speech, ensuring clear separation between the ‘mog’ and the '-ra-phy' parts. This helps maintain accuracy when discussing imaging techniques.
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Tomography derives from the Late Latin tomografia, from Greek tom- meaning ‘slice, section’ (as in tome or tomography) and -graphia meaning ‘writing, recording.’ The root tom- traces to the Greek temnein ‘to cut’ or to slice, widely used in medical imaging to denote sectional imaging. The suffix -graphy entered English via French and Latin scientific vocabulary in the 19th and 20th centuries as imaging techniques evolved. Early tomographic ideas emerged from projections and radiography, but the explicit term tomography crystallized with advances in computed and electronic imaging in the 20th century. First known uses appear in technical papers around the 1920s–1930s as researchers described methods to reconstruct internal slices from projection data, with broader adoption as medical CT matured in the 1970s. The word has since expanded to various modalities beyond X-ray, including PET and MRI-based tomographic reconstructions, maintaining the core meaning: creating a three-dimensional representation by compiling two-dimensional cross-sections.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "tomography" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "tomography"
-phy sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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