3 syllables: Tu, ber, cle. Stress on Tu.
TOO-bur-kuhl
/ˈtuː.bɚ.kəl/
Tubercle is pronounced TOO-bur-kuhl (/ˈtuː.bɚ.kəl/). It has three syllables (Tu-ber-cle), with the stress on "Tu". Tubercle is a small, rounded bump or nodule on a surface, often a disease-related formation or anatomical feature. In biology and medicine, it denotes a small projection or swelling, as in a tubercle on an organ or bone. The term is also used in general anatomy to describe any tiny, rounded wart-like projection. It emphasizes size and shape rather than function.
nounTubercle is a small, rounded bump or nodule on a surface, often a disease-related formation or anatomical feature. In biology and medicine, it denotes a small projection or swelling, as in a tubercle on an organ or bone. The term is also used in general anatomy to describe any tiny, rounded wart-like projection. It emphasizes size and shape rather than function.
"The surgeon identified a tubercle on the patient's liver during the scan."
"A tubercle forms at the site of the infection and can serve as a focal point for scar tissue."
"Researchers studied the tubercle to understand the parasite's attachment mechanism."
Say TUH-bur-kəl with the primary stress on the first syllable. In IPA: US ˈtuː.bɚ.kəl, UK ˈtjuː.bə.kəl, AU ˈtjuː.bə.kəl. Start with a long 'oo' sound after the initial T, then a schwa in the second syllable, and end with a clear 'kul' as in 'cull'. If you’re keeping it tight, reduce the second vowel slightly toward a schwa but retain the -kel ending. Audio references: you can compare with medical pronunciation guides or Forvo entries for tubercle to hear regional variations.
Two common slips: (1) misplacing the stress on the second syllable as tooh-ber-kəl; (2) lengthening the second vowel or turning the r into a strong rhotic sound in non-rhotic contexts. Correct by keeping primary stress on the first syllable and using a short, relaxed central vowel in the schwah of the second syllable. Practice the sequence TUH-ber-kəl with a quick, light motion of the tongue for the r-colored vowel and a crisp final -kəl. Listening to native medical speakers can help you align rhythm and pitch.
US English typically uses an r-colored schwa in the second syllable (ˈtuː.bɚ.kəl); the first vowel is a tense long /uː/. UK English often uses a clearer /juː/ in the first syllable (ˈtjuː.bə.kəl) and a less rhotic second syllable; Australian English follows a similar pattern to UK but with a shorter, more centralized second vowel and a slightly less prominent rhotic release. Across all accents, the final -kle remains a reduced, unstressed -kəl; keep the final consonant crisp. Listening to regional medical diction will reveal the subtle but important shifts.
Key challenges are the tense first syllable with /uː/ or /juː/, followed by a quick, schwa-like second syllable with an /ɚ/ in rhotic accents, and a final /kəl/ cluster that requires a clean stop after the /l/. The r-coloring in US is a potential trap for non-rhotic speakers who may drop the /ɚ/ or mispronounce the /ɹ/ sound. Practice the sequence slowly, then speed up, focusing on maintaining steady vowel quality and crisp alveolar stop for -k-, and ensure the /l/ at the end stays light, not darkened by an extra vowel.
There are no silent letters in tubercle, and the stress remains steadfast on the first syllable (TUH-ber-kəl). Some speakers slightly reduce the middle syllable’s vowel, but the r-colored vowel in US English remains audible. If you’re unsure, anchor the word with a deliberate initial heavy syllable, then let the middle be lighter and the tail settle into a clear -kəl. This keeps the word crisp even in rapid medical narration.
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Tubercle comes from the Latin tuberculum, meaning a small swelling or lump, itself derived from tuber- meaning a swelling or protuberance, with the diminutive -culum. The first element tuber- is common in medical terms like tuber, tubercle, and tuberosity, all signaling a lump-like projection. The suffix -cle is a diminutive form in Latin, signaling a small version of the root idea. The term entered English medical vocabulary in the medieval and early modern periods as anatomy and pathology matured, with early uses in anatomical texts describing small nodular projections. Over centuries, tubercle acquired broader usage in biology to denote small nodules or bumps on surfaces, including plant and animal structures, and later in microbiology and pathology to describe lesion-like nodules or granulomatous structures. In medicine, the idea of a tubercle as a discrete, localized swelling persisted, with precise definitions refined as microscopic understanding emerged. Today, tubercle remains a precise anatomical descriptor, distinguished from larger pathological formations by its diminutive scale and localized shape. It is often contrasted with tuberosity (a larger, rounded prominence) and papilla (a small nipple-like projection).
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Tubercle" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Tubercle" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Tubercle"
-dle sounds
-tle sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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