7 syllables: Tri, cho, till, o, ma, ni, a. Stress on ma.
trik-uh-til-uh-MAY-nee-uh
/ˌtrɪkəˌtɪləˈmeɪniə/
Trichotillomania is pronounced trik-uh-til-uh-MAY-nee-uh (/ˌtrɪkəˌtɪləˈmeɪniə/). It has seven syllables (Tri-cho-till-o-ma-ni-a), with the stress on "ma". Trichotillomania is a psychiatric disorder characterized by recurrent, irresistible urges to pull out one's hair, resulting in noticeable hair loss. It can involve the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, and other body hair, often accompanied by relief or tension before pulling and distress or impairment afterward. The term combines Greek roots referring to hair, pulling, and madness.
nounTrichotillomania is a psychiatric disorder characterized by recurrent, irresistible urges to pull out one's hair, resulting in noticeable hair loss. It can involve the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, and other body hair, often accompanied by relief or tension before pulling and distress or impairment afterward. The term combines Greek roots referring to hair, pulling, and madness.
"She sought therapy to address her trichotillomania and its impact on self-esteem."
"The clinician diagnosed trichotillomania after observing repetitive hair-pulling episodes."
"Support groups for trichotillomania help patients share coping strategies."
Pronounce as /ˌtrɪk.oʊ.tɪl.əˈmeɪ.njə/ in US, with primary stress on the fourth syllable: tri-cho-ti-llo-MA-nia. Break into three parts: tri-cho-ti-llo-man-ia. Lip and tongue positions: start with a light /t/ with a lifted tongue blade, followed by /ɹ/ and /ɪ/; the 'ch' is /k/ + /oʊ/; the sequence /tɪl/ uses a short /ɪ/ and a clear /l/; the ending /ˈmeɪ.njə/ features the /eɪ/ diphthong and a palatal nasal /ɲ/ like 'ny'.
Two common errors: misplacing the primary stress on the third syllable (trɪk.oʊ.tɪlˈoʊ-mä-nee-ə) and running the /tɪl/ into /tɪl.lə/ without a clear /l/ stop. Correct by isolating syllables: tri-cho-ti-ll/o-/ma-nia, then practice stressing the 4th syllable: ma-NI-a. Emphasize the /tɹ/ cluster at the start and the /ˈmeɪ/ vs. /ˈmɪən/ realization in different accents.
US tends to produce /ˌtrɪk.oʊ.tɪl.oʊˈmeɪ.njə/, with rhoticity affecting /tr/ and a clear /oʊ/; UK often uses /ˌtrɪk.ɒ.tɪ.lɒˈmɑː.ni.ə/ where /ɒ/ vowels are broader and non-rhoticity changes /r/?; AU generally follows US but with vowel length differences and a slightly flatter /eɪ/ in /meɪ/ and broader /ɔː/ in /tɪl/ variants. Ultimately, stress stays near the penultimate or antepenultimate depending on speaker.
The word packs multiple morphemes: tri- /tɹi/, -cho- linking vowel, -til- /tɪl/ and -lo- /lo/, followed by -Mania /ˈmeɪ.njə/ with the /nj/ sequence similar to 'ny'. The cluster /tɹ/ at the start, the 'ch' sounding like /tʃ/ or /k/, and the late emphasis on -mia can trip speakers. Practice by segmenting and practicing the syllable transitions slowly, then speed up while maintaining the tongue positions.
A unique feature is the /nj/ sequence in -nia, where the palatal nasal /ɲ/ (often realized as /n.jə/ or /njə/) follows an explicit /aɪ/ or /eɪ/ vowel. Ensure you articulate a brief palatal approximation between the alveolar /n/ and the following /j/ to avoid an Italian-like /ɲ/ mispronunciation. This typically requires a light, quick glide into /j/.
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Trichotillomania derives from Greek tricho- (hair) + tillo (to pull) + mania (madness, frenzy). The term was coined in the 19th or early 20th century as medical science formalized psychiatric conditions related to impulse control and body-focused repetitive behaviors. Initially, hair-pulling concerns were described descriptively; later, the construct aligned with obsessive-compulsive and related disorders in DSM-5, highlighting the compulsive aspect and relief/severity cycle. First known uses appear in dermatology and psychiatry literature around the 1880s–1900s, with evolving understanding of its neurobiological underpinnings, comorbidity with anxiety, OCD-spectrum traits, and treatment responsiveness to CBT and mindfulness-based interventions.
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Words that rhyme with "Trichotillomania"
-no) sounds
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