2 syllables: tu, mours. Stress on tu.
TOO-muhrz
/ˈtuːmərz/
tumours is pronounced TOO-muhrz (/ˈtuːmərz/). It has two syllables (tu-mours), with the stress on "tu". Tumours refers to abnormal growths, typically disordered tissue masses that may be benign or malignant. The term is used in medical contexts and contrasts with “tumors” in American English. It conveys a clinical, specific meaning and is common in pathology, oncology, and related healthcare discussions.
Tumours refers to abnormal growths, typically disordered tissue masses that may be benign or malignant. The term is used in medical contexts and contrasts with “tumors” in American English. It conveys a clinical, specific meaning and is common in pathology, oncology, and related healthcare discussions.
"The patient had a small tumours detected in the liver during routine scanning."
"In UK medical literature, tumours are sometimes described as malignant or benign after biopsy."
"The research focused on tumour growth rates and potential treatment responses."
US/UK/AU pronunciation centers on two syllables: /ˈtuː.mɔrz/ (US) and /ˈtjuː.mɔːz/ (UK/AU). The first syllable has a long 'oo' vowel; in UK/AU, the initial consonant cluster features a light y-glide after t: 't-yoo' sound. The second syllable uses a rhotic or non-rhotic 'r' depending on the accent, with final z-like voiced alveolar sibilant /z/. Keep the stress on the first syllable. Hearable as two clear vowels with a smooth transition between /uː/ and /ɔ/ before final /r/ or /z/.
Common errors include: (1) Pronouncing as single syllable, e.g., 'toom-ers' by reducing the second syllable; (2) Dropping or misplacing the /r/ in non-rhotic accents, leading to /ˈtuː.mɔs/ or /ˈtjuː.mɔz/ without the rhotic clarity; (3) Vowel misproduction in the first syllable, confusing /uː/ with a shorter /ʊ/ or wrong lip rounding. Correct by ensuring a full /uː/ with rounded lips, separate the two syllables, and finalize with /z/ rather than /s/.
US: /ˈtuːˌmɔrz/ with a strong second syllable and rhoticity on /r/. UK/AU: /ˈtjuː.mɔːz/ often with less pronounced rhoticity; the second syllable uses a tense /ɔː/ and the final /z/. Non-rhotic variants may reduce /r/ before vowels when not followed by a vowel. The first syllable features a /t/ plus a /j/ glide in UK/AU /tjuː/; in US you may hear /tuː/ without the /j/ onset emphasis. IPA guidance: US /ˈtuː.mɔːz/ or /ˈtuːˌmɔrz/; UK/AU /ˈtjuː.mɔːz/.
Two challenges: the /uː/ length and lip rounding, plus the final /z/ in a cluster with preceding vowels, which can blur into /s/ if voicing is weak. The second syllable vowel /ɔ/ or /ɔː/ can be tense, requiring a controlled jaw position. Additionally, non-rhotic contexts may obscure the /r/ quality in some speakers. Practice by isolating /tuː/ or /tjuː/ and then smoothly adding /mɔːz/ or /mɔrz/ while keeping the tongue high, lips rounded, and air release controlled.
There are no silent letters in standard pronunciations of tumours. The challenge is not silent letters but phoneme timing: ensuring the /t/ starts crisply, the /uː/ is full and rounded, the /m/ is with the lips closed, and the final /z/ is voiced, not devoiced into /s/. The shape of the mouth changes across syllables: rounded lips for /uː/ and /ɔː/, then a passive release into /z/. Keep voicing consistent from /m/ into /z/.
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Tumour comes from the Old French tumur, from Latin tumor meaning swelling, swelling or a lump. The Latin root is tumere, meaning to swell. In Middle English, tumours appeared as a borrowed medical term, initially used to describe any swelling or lump. Over centuries, its medical usage narrowed to denote abnormal tissue growths. In British English, tumours is the standard form, while American English prefers tumors (dropping the final -our to -or). The word travels through medical literature from early anatomy and pathology texts to modern oncology and radiology. The evolution reflects a shift from generic swelling to precise pathological entities, often requiring histopathological confirmation. First known use in English citations appears in the 14th-15th centuries, with increasing medical usage in the 18th and 19th centuries as anatomy and pathology formalized; later, the term became central in cancer research and clinical practice.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "tumours" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "tumours" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "tumours"
-urs sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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