TOO-mur
/ˈtumɚ/
tumor is pronounced TOO-mur (/ˈtumɚ/). Tumor refers to a mass or swelling formed by an abnormal growth of tissue, which can be benign or malignant. In medical contexts, it denotes an abnormal, expansive lesion that may compress surrounding structures. The term is used across clinical, research, and diagnostic settings to describe such growths. In everyday language, it can refer to any lump or swelling, especially one of uncertain nature.
Tumor refers to a mass or swelling formed by an abnormal growth of tissue, which can be benign or malignant. In medical contexts, it denotes an abnormal, expansive lesion that may compress surrounding structures. The term is used across clinical, research, and diagnostic settings to describe such growths. In everyday language, it can refer to any lump or swelling, especially one of uncertain nature.
"The doctor found a lump in the breast that turned out to be a benign tumor."
"Scientists are researching how tumor cells invade neighboring tissues."
"A brain tumor can cause headaches, seizures, or cognitive changes."
US: /ˈtuː.mər/ with strong first syllable stress, final schwa-like /ər/. UK: /ˈtjuː.mɔː/ or /ˈtjuː.mə/ depending on region; US rhoticity means /r/ pronounced in most contexts, UK non-rhotic variants may de-emphasize /r/ at the end. AU often mirrors US or UK with a light final /ə/ or /ər/ depending on speaker. In phonetic terms, begin with a tight lip rounding for /uː/ then glide to a mid-central vowel in the second syllable; end with a rhotic or non-rhotic vowel depending on locale. Include a slight reduction in the second syllable in rapid speech.”,
Mistake 1: Pronouncing it as two equal syllables with a clear /r/ in the final position for non-rhotic speakers. Correction: reduce the final vowel to a schwa or a weak /ə/ and lightly touch the /r/ if your dialect is rhotic; otherwise, drop the final /r/ and clip the second syllable slightly. Mistake 2: Misplacing stress as /tuˈmor/ instead of /ˈtuː.mər/. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable and elongate /tuː/ before the schwa. Mistake 3: Using a short /u/ for the first vowel. Correction: use the long /uː/ or /juː/ depending on dialect, ensuring a clear initial diphthong if applicable.”,
In US English, /ˈtuː.mər/ with rhotic /r/ in the second syllable. UK English often renders it as /ˈtjuː.mɔː/ or /ˈtjuː.mə/, with non-rhotic tendencies and a longer, rounded second vowel; some speakers insert a light /r/ only before a vowel. Australian tends to be /ˈtjuː.mə/ or /ˈtjuː.mɔː/ with non-rhotic or partially rhotic patterns depending on region, and vowel quality can be more centralized. Vowel quality differences, rhoticity, and final vowel length contribute to perceptual differences across accents.”,
Two main challenges: the first syllable’s long vowel /uː/ that can be reduced in rapid speech, and the final unstressed syllable that often becomes a reduced /ər/ or /ə/. For non-native speakers, the combination of a tense high back vowel followed by a schwa-like ending and occasional rhotic or non-rhotic final consonants makes alignment with native norms tricky. Practicing the sequence /ˈtuː.mər/ with controlled breath and crisp syllable boundaries helps stabilize both vowel length and the final schwa or /ər/ sound.”,
The word often ends with a rhotacized or reduced ending depending on dialect. In rhotic varieties (US), you hear a pronounced /ɹ/ color in the second syllable; in non-rhotic varieties (many UK variants), the final /ɹ/ may be silent, and the second syllable can be a pure schwa or a lengthened /ɔː/. Paying attention to where your own tongue closes for the /ɹ/ or omits it entirely will help you sound more native in your chosen accent.
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The word tumor comes from Middle English, borrowed from Old French tumor or tumur, from Latin tumer, tumor, meaning swollen or swelling. The root is related to the Latin verb tumere, 'to swell'. Historically, it appears in medical writings from late antiquity and the medieval period, often used to describe any swelling or protuberance. In the Renaissance, the term narrowed to medical pathology describing abnormal tissue growth, especially neoplasms. The spelling tumor aligns with Latin-based medical lexicon, while contemporary usage distinguishes benign from malignant growths. The spelling with -or is typical of English scientific terms borrowed from Latin, whereas some related terms retain -our or -our spellings in British contexts, though pronunciation remains largely similar. Over time, tumor has acquired a precise clinical sense but remains common in lay language where it may denote any lump. The first known uses appear in medical dictionaries and treatises, with the earliest clear attestations in Latin medical texts, subsequently adopted into English through Norman French medical literature, and solidified in modern medical vocabulary by the 18th and 19th centuries as pathology advanced.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "tumor" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "tumor"
-mor sounds
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