5 syllables: ver, teb, ro, plas, ty. Stress on plas.
vurr-tuh-BROH-plas-tee
/ˌvɜːrtəˈbroʊplæsti/
vertebroplasty is pronounced vurr-tuh-BROH-plas-tee (/ˌvɜːrtəˈbroʊplæsti/). It has five syllables (ver-teb-ro-plas-ty), with the stress on "plas". vertebroplasty is a medical procedure that involves injecting bone cement into a fractured vertebra to stabilize the spine and reduce pain. The term combines vertebra (the spinal bones) with the Greek -plasty meaning molding or forming. It is a specialized, technical word used in radiology and neurosurgery contexts.
vertebroplasty is a medical procedure that involves injecting bone cement into a fractured vertebra to stabilize the spine and reduce pain. The term combines vertebra (the spinal bones) with the Greek -plasty meaning molding or forming. It is a specialized, technical word used in radiology and neurosurgery contexts.
"The radiologist performed a vertebroplasty to treat a compression fracture."
"Postoperative imaging confirmed proper cement distribution after vertebroplasty."
"Vertebroplasty can provide rapid pain relief for certain vertebral fractures."
You say ver-teh-bro-plas-tee with primary stress on the second-to-last syllable: ver-TE-bro-plas-ty. In IPA: US ˌvər-tə-ˈbrō-plas-tē. Break it into four parts: vertebra root, bro as in broth, plasty as in plastic-tilde, and -sty pronounced as 'stee'. Tip: start with a light schwa in the first syllable, then bold the 'BRO' syllable, and end crisp on 'tee'. Audio references: check medical pronunciation clips for vertebra- prefixes and -plasty suffixes to hear the expected rhythm.
Two common errors: compressing the middle syllable to 'ver-TEB-ro-plas-tee' too abruptly, and mispronouncing the suffix as '-stee' instead of '-sti' or '-sty'. Correction: pronounce 'vertebra' as 'VER-ti-brə' with the schwa; stress the 'BRO' part: ver-TE-bro-PLAS-ty; ensure the final 'sty' sounds like 'stee' but with a clear '-t-': '-plas-ty'.
US: rhotic, with clear 'r' in 'ver-' and 'bro'; US stressed on -BRO-. UK: non-rhotic tendencies, slight vowel adjustments in 'er' and 'o' vowels; AU: similar to UK but with flatter vowels and stronger 't' consonant release. IPA cues: US /ˌvərtəˈbroˌplæsti/ vs UK /ˌvɜːtəˈbrɒːsti/; AU /ˌvətəˈbrɒsti/; focus on rhoticity and vowel quality differences.
It combines multiple affixes and a consonant cluster: 'vertebra' + 'plasty' yields -t- and -br- clusters that challenge English speakers. The trick is managing the 'r' after a short vowel, maintaining a light schwa in the first syllable, and hitting the '-plasty' with two crisp consonants before a soft 'ee' ending. Practice by isolating 'VER-te-bra' and 'PLAS-ty', then blend.
No silent letters in standard pronunciation. Every letter contributes to sound: V-E-R-T-E-B-R-A-P-L-A-S-T-Y. The challenge is not silent letters but the correct articulation of the 'ver' (rhotic or non-rhotic depending on accent), the 'bro' diphthong, and the 'plasty' ending, where 'pl' creates a consonant blend and the 'ty' ends as 'tee'.
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vertebroplasty derives from Latin vertebra (a spinal bone) + Greek plasty (forming, molding). The combination denotes a surgical procedure that forms or repairs the vertebra by injecting bone cement. The term follows a common medical coinage pattern in which a root anatomical term (vertebra) is paired with a procedural suffix (-plasty) indicating shaping or repairing. The root vertebra traces to Latin vertebra from earlier languages; plasty comes from Greek plastēs meaning molded or formed, used in medical terms since the 19th century (e.g., rhinoplasty, angioplasty). The adoption of vertebroplasty in English likely began in the late 20th century as interventional radiology and spinal procedures advanced, with first explicit usage appearing in radiology and neurosurgery literature to describe cement-augmentation techniques for vertebral compression fractures. The term crystallized as vertebroplasty became a standard descriptor for percutaneous cement augmentation procedures, distinguishing it from kyphoplasty (which includes balloon creation prior to cement injection) and other vertebral augmentation approaches. Over time, vertebroplasty has become a recognized procedure worldwide, with its own codified indications, techniques, and complication profiles documented across radiology and spine surgery literature.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "vertebroplasty" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "vertebroplasty"
-sty sounds
-me) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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