VEN-trik-uhl
/ˈvɛnˌtɹɪkəl/
ventricle is pronounced VEN-trik-uhl (/ˈvɛnˌtɹɪkəl/). Ventricle (noun) refers to a chamber in the heart or brain that holds or circulates fluids. In anatomy, it most commonly denotes any of the heart’s four chambers that pump blood, or one of the brain’s communicating cavities filled with cerebrospinal fluid. The term implies a hollow space surrounded by tissue and often involves muscular or ventricular walls.
Ventricle (noun) refers to a chamber in the heart or brain that holds or circulates fluids. In anatomy, it most commonly denotes any of the heart’s four chambers that pump blood, or one of the brain’s communicating cavities filled with cerebrospinal fluid. The term implies a hollow space surrounded by tissue and often involves muscular or ventricular walls.
"The left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood to the aorta."
"A brain ventricle is filled with cerebrospinal fluid and communicates with other ventricles."
"During the exam, the doctor examined the ventricle sizes on the MRI."
Pronounce as VEN-trih-kəl (US/UK). The primary stress is on the first syllable: /ˈvɛn.trɪ.kəl/. Start with a clear /v/ through-lip contact, then an open-mid front vowel /ɛ/ as in 'bed,' followed by a light /n/. The middle syllable uses a short /ɪ/ as in 'kit,' and end with a schwa-like /ə/ plus /l/. Keep the final /əl/ light and quick. For audio reference, imagine standard medical dictionaries or pronunciation videos showing /ˈvɛn.trɪ.kəl/.
Common errors: (1) Overpronouncing the second syllable as /tri/ instead of /trɪ-/; keep it short: /trɪ/. (2) Lingering on the final /l/ or making it /əl/ as in ‘animal’; aim for a compact /kəl/. (3) Substituting /e/ for /ɛ/ in the first vowel (pronouncing /viːn/ or /ven/ with a long /e/). Practice by isolating each syllable: /vɛn/ + /trɪ/ + /kəl/ and then blend. Recording yourself helps correct timing and rhythm.
In US/UK/AU, the pronunciation is largely the same: /ˈvɛn.trɪ.kəl/. The rhoticity (pronouncing /r/) does not affect this word; it remains non-rhotic in British speech, but the /r/ is not explicit in the spelling. Minor vowel quality differences appear: the /ɛ/ may be slightly tenser in US, and /ɪ/ may be marginally shorter in rapid speech in all three. Australian English often keeps a broad, clipped final /əl/. Overall the core is /ˈvɛn.trɪ.kəl/ with subtle vowel shifts, not a phonemic change.
The challenge lies in cluster syllables and quick, light final /əl/. You have three consecutive consonant groups: /v/ + /ɛ/ + /n/ + /tr/ + /ɪ/ + /k/ + /əl/. The /tr/ blend and the unstressed second syllable can trip you up, making it sound like /ˈvɛn.trɪ.kl̩/ or /ˈvent.rɪ.kəl/ if spoken rapidly. Focus on a crisp /tr/ release and a short, relaxed /ɪ/ before the /k/; finish with a soft /əl/. Use slow practice then speed up.
Note that the middle syllable is /trɪ/ (not /tɹiː/ or /tɹɪ/ with a strong vowel). The first syllable carries the primary stress, with a lax, short vowel /ɛ/. The final /əl/ is often a reduced, light syllable in fast speech. In careful speech, clearly separate /tr/ and the following /ɪ/ to avoid merging into a syllabic /l/.
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The word ventricle comes from the Latin ventriculus, a diminutive of vas, meaning ‘vein’ or ‘vessel,’ and -culus, a diminutive suffix. Historically, ventriculus described a small cavity or chamber within an organ, especially within the heart. In Latin anatomy, ventriculus referred to a hollow cavity that could hold liquid; as medical science advanced, the term specialized to specific body cavities: the heart’s ventricles (left and right) and brain ventricles. The anatomy sense of ventricle, distinguishing it from general cavities, emerged in English medical texts from the 17th century onward. By the 19th and 20th centuries, ventricle was entrenched in cardiology and neurology to label the heart chambers and cerebral-spinal fluid cavities, respectively. The term’s semantic scope broadened as imaging technology (X-ray, MRI) clarified ventricular morphology, reinforcing its precise, anatomical usage in clinical language.
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Words that rhyme with "ventricle"
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