trans-FYOO-zhuhn
/tɹænsˈfjuʒən/
transfusion is pronounced trans-FYOO-zhuhn (/tɹænsˈfjuʒən/). Transfusion refers to the process of transferring blood or a blood component from one person to another, typically to treat medical conditions or restore blood volume. It can involve whole blood or specific components (like red cells or plasma). The term is used in clinical, surgical, and emergency contexts and implies a controlled, sterile procedure conducted by healthcare professionals.
Transfusion refers to the process of transferring blood or a blood component from one person to another, typically to treat medical conditions or restore blood volume. It can involve whole blood or specific components (like red cells or plasma). The term is used in clinical, surgical, and emergency contexts and implies a controlled, sterile procedure conducted by healthcare professionals.
- You struggle with the /tr/ cluster: try starting with a small opening, then blend to /træns/ without adding an extra vowel between t and r. - The /fjuː/ sequence can become /fuː/ or /fjuː/ inconsistently; practice the two-sound blend /f/ + /juː/ with a quick lip rounding for /juː/. - Final /ʒən/ can sound like /ʃən/ or /ən/; aim for a voiced postalveolar fricative /ʒ/ before a neutral schwa, then a light /n/. - Remedy: slow pronunciation, then gradually speed up while keeping the same jaw/tongue positions; tempo drills help lock the rhythm.
"The patient received a red blood cell transfusion after the surgery."
"During the outbreak, blood banks prepared rapid transfusions for emergency cases."
"She needed a plasma transfusion to correct coagulation issues."
US/UK/AU pronunciation is /trænsˈfjuːʒən/ (US) or /trɑːnsˈfjuːʃən/ (UK) with the primary stress on the second syllable: tran-SFUS-ion. Break it into two parts: tran-sfyu- /ˈfjuː/ as a single consonant cluster with the 'f' linking into /juː/. The first syllable uses a short 'a' as in cat in US, a broad /ɑː/ in UK. The final syllable sounds like -shən. Visualize keeping the tongue high for /fjuː/, lips rounded for /juː/ and a soft, unstressed final schwa. Audio reference: consult standard diction sources for /trænsˈfjuːʒən/ (US) and /trɑːnsˈfjuːʃən/ (UK).
Common errors: 1) Misplacing stress, saying tran-SFUS-ion; ensure primary stress on the second syllable /ˈfjuː/. 2) Merging /fj/ into /fjuː/ incorrectly; practice the /f/ followed by /juː/ sequence distinctly. 3) Pronouncing /ʒ/ as /ʃ/ or /tʃ/; use the voiced postalveolar fricative /ʒ/ as in measure. 4) Final schwa distortion; keep a short, neutral /ə/ rather than a full vowel. Practice with slowed syllable division: tran-sfu-sion → /træns/ /ˈfjuː/ /ʒən/; keep mouth position steady for /fjuː/ and slight lip rounding for /juː/.
US tends to use /trænsˈfjuːʒən/ with a clearer /æ/ in the first syllable and a rhotic, lightly pronounced -er in some speakers; UK often has /trɑːnsˈfjuːʃən/ with a broad /ɑː/ and a sharper /ʃ/; Australian commonly mirrors US but with a flatter /æ/ or /ɐ/ in the first syllable and non-rhotic tendencies affecting the final /ən/. The central element is the /ˈfjuː/ cluster and the /ʒ/ vs /ʃ/ or /tʃ/ variation. Listening for the second syllable’s /fjuː/ and the final /ʒən/ or /ʃən/ helps distinguish accents.
The difficulty centers on the consonant cluster at the start (/tr/), the /fjuː/ sequence (f followed by a rounded high vowel /Cjuː/), and the mid-phoneme /ʒ/; for some speakers, the /t/ may be flapped or de-emphasized, and /ɹ/ or /ɹ/ in rhotic varieties can alter the flow. The second syllable requires precise linking: /ˈfjuː/ should stay as a single unit without breaking into /fi/ or /ju/ separately. Maintaining a clear, stressed second syllable while keeping the final /ən/ relaxed is key.
No silent letters in transfusion. Every letter participates in the pronunciation: t-r-a-n-s-f-u-s-i-o-n. The consonant cluster /tr/ at the start is pronounced; /s/ remains audible in the mid position; the final -tion surfaces as /ʒən/ in most accents. The challenge is not silent letters but precise articulation of consecutive sounds, especially the /n/ following /s/ and the /juː/ sequence after /f/.
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Transfusion comes from the medieval Latin transfundere, a compound of trans- (across, beyond) and fundere (to pour). Over time, English borrowed transfundere as transfundere with forms like transfundere, transfusionem in scholastic use, and later transfusion to describe the act of pouring across a boundary. The first decompounded usage in English appears in medical texts of the 17th–18th centuries as European physicians refined blood transfer techniques. The modern sense centers on transferring blood or blood components between individuals or into patients. The term therefore retains both the image of crossing a boundary (trans-) and the act of pouring (fundere). The word entered standard medical vocabulary in the 19th century with the development of systematic blood transfusion practice and blood typing, solidifying its precise clinical meaning.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "transfusion" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "transfusion" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "transfusion"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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