4 syllables: tu, ber, cu, lous. Stress on lous.
tyoo-buhr-KYOO-luhs
/ˌtjuːbərˈkjuləs/
tuberculous is pronounced tyoo-buhr-KYOO-luhs (/ˌtjuːbərˈkjuləs/). It has four syllables (tu-ber-cu-lous), with the stress on "lous". Tuberculous is an adjective describing diseases caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, especially tuberculosis affecting organs beyond the lungs. It characteristically denotes a chronic, granulomatous infection with systemic implications, and is used in medical contexts. The term conveys a specific disease state and is distinct from non-tuberculous infections, emphasizing the bacterial etiology and pathological process.
Tuberculous is an adjective describing diseases caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, especially tuberculosis affecting organs beyond the lungs. It characteristically denotes a chronic, granulomatous infection with systemic implications, and is used in medical contexts. The term conveys a specific disease state and is distinct from non-tuberculous infections, emphasizing the bacterial etiology and pathological process.
"The patient has tuberculous meningitis, requiring prolonged antituberculous therapy."
"A tuberculous lesion was found in the spine, prompting careful diagnostic workup."
"She was treated with isoniazid and rifampin for her tuberculous infection."
Pronunciation is tuh-ber-KYOO-luhs with primary stress on the third syllable in many forms: /tjuːˈbɜːr.kjə.ləs/ in US/UK renderings. For AUS you might hear /tjuːˈbɜːk.jə.ləs/ depending on speaker. Break it into tu-ber-cu-lous with emphasis on the /kjə/ sequence. Ensure the /t/ is crisp, the /juː/ is a light, rounded onset, and the /kj/ cluster is clearly enunciated before the final /ləs/. Audio reference: listen to medical diction recordings and diction-focused channels to hear the /kj/ transition clearly.
Two common errors: (1) misplacing stress, often stressing the first or second syllable instead of the third; (2) blending /kjə/ into /kju/ or dropping the /kj/ sequence, producing /tjuːˈbɜːrləs/ or /tjuːˈbɜːr.kələs/. Correction: keep strong secondary stress on -ber-, then articulate the /kjə/ as a distinct consonant cluster: /-kjə-/ rather than /-kjə-/ merging with /ləs/. Practicing with minimal pairs like tuberculous vs tuberculosis helps hear the subtle distinction in syllable weight.
US/UK: main stress typically on the third syllable; vowels in /ˈtjuː.bɜːr.kjə.ləs/ (US) vs /ˈtjuː.bəː.kjʊ.ləs/ (UK) with rhotics more pronounced in US. AU tends toward /tuːˈbɜː.kjʊ.ləs/ with less rhotic articulation and smoother vowel transitions; the /ɜː/ vs /ə/ in the second syllable can shift, and the /kj/ sequence may become more palatalized. In careful clinical speech, maintain the /kj/ clarity in all accents. Listening to native medical speakers in each region can help you map the same phonemes to local patterns.
Because it contains a multi-syllabic, high-precision sequence: the /tjuː/ onset, the rhotacized mid syllable /bɜːr/ or /bə/, and the tense /kjə/ cluster before /ləs/. The tricky part is the /kj/ blend and keeping the stress in the right position while not reducing the vowels excessively in rapid speech. Practicing slow, then normal tempo, and isolating the /kj/ portion helps you maintain accuracy even in fast medical narration.
A unique feature is the /kjə/ sequence after the stressed syllable, which requires precise palatal articulation to avoid merging with /k/. Controlling lip rounding for /ju/ in the /tjuː/ onset and sustaining the /ləs/ ending without vowel drop are key. The word’s rhythm is two open syllables followed by a closed syllable cluster, so pay attention to syllabic timing and the transition from vowel to consonant cluster. IPA cues: /tjuːˈbɜːr.kjə.ləs/ (US/UK) with careful /kj/ articulation.
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US: rhotic /r/ is prominent; preserve vowel quality in /ɜː/ and ensure /tjuː/ onset is light but precise. UK: non-rhotic tendency; /r/ is less pronounced; keep /tjuː/ and /kjə/ clear; AU: often vowel-reduced /ə/ in unstressed vowels and softer /r/; emphasize the /kjə/ sequence and finalize with crisp /ləs/. IPA references as above; practice with region-specific recordings to internalize differences.
The word tuberculous comes from Latin tuberculus, a diminutive form of tuber, meaning a small swelling or lump, itself from tuber. The medical sense arose from the 17th century clinical language describing characteristic tubercles or nodules formed by certain infections. The English adjective tuberculous emerged by the 18th–19th centuries as physicians categorized diseases by their tuberculous origin, especially those with granulomatous tubercles in tissues. The root tuber- refers to a lump or swelling; the suffix -ulous suggests pertaining to or characterized by. The combination conveys “pertaining to tubercles,” which in medical antiquity described pathognomonic nodular lesions. First known uses appear in early modern medical texts describing tuberculous lesions in various organs, though refined usage grew with tuberculosis research in the 19th century. Over time, the term acquired a precise clinical meaning, distinguishing tuberculous disease from other infectious etiologies and non-granulomatous infections, and remains in use in epidemiology, pathology, and clinical medicine. Cross-linguistic equivalents appear in Romance-language medical vocabularies, reflecting the same root tuber/uéter concept across languages.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "tuberculous" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "tuberculous"
-ous sounds
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