3 syllables: Ver, ti, go. Stress on Ver.
VUR-tig-oh
/ˈvɝtɪˌɡoʊ/
Vertigo is pronounced VUR-tig-oh (/ˈvɝtɪˌɡoʊ/). It has three syllables (Ver-ti-go), with the stress on "Ver". Vertigo is a medical term for a sensation that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving, often with nausea or equilibrium disruption. It is not a test of eyesight but a dizziness-related symptom that can arise from inner ear issues or other medical conditions. The word is used in clinical and everyday contexts to describe this disorienting experience.
nounVertigo is a medical term for a sensation that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving, often with nausea or equilibrium disruption. It is not a test of eyesight but a dizziness-related symptom that can arise from inner ear issues or other medical conditions. The word is used in clinical and everyday contexts to describe this disorienting experience.
"She described a sudden vertigo episode after standing up too quickly."
"The patient reported vertigo along with nausea and blurred vision during the attack."
"Doctors considered vertigo as a potential side effect of the medication."
Pronounce as vər-TI-go in most US and UK contexts, with the primary stress on the second syllable: /ˈvɜːr.tɪ.ɡoʊ/ in American notation and /ˈvɜː.tɪ.ɡəʊ/ in British. Start with the 'ver' sound like vet without t, then a quick 'ti' as in ticker, and end with a clear 'go'.
Common errors: turning it into ver-TEEG-oh or ver-TEE-go; misplacing stress on the first syllable; using a hard 'g' as in 'go' without lowering the jaw for the mid vowel. Correction: keep primary stress on the second syllable: ver-TI-go; ensure the 'ti' is a short, clipped /tɪ/ and the final /ɡoʊ/ or /ɡəʊ/ uses a clear back-vowel followed by the plosive.
In US English, /ˈvɜːr.tɪ.ɡoʊ/ with rhotic r; in UK English, /ˈvɜː.tɪ.ɡəʊ/ with non-rhotic r and a more centralized /ɜː/; in Australian English, /ˈvɜː.tɪ.ɡəʊ/ with a vowel closer to /ɜː/ and a rising, non-rhotic r. The final vowel can be a tense /oʊ/ or a lax /əʊ/ depending on speaker. Pay attention to vowel length and syllable timing.
Two chief challenges: the mid vowel in the first syllable is a lax, mid back vowel /ɜː/ that may not exist in all languages; the second syllable has a quick, unstressed /tɪ/ before the final /ɡoʊ/ or /ɡəʊ/. People often alter the sequence or reduce the middle syllable. Practicing the exact rhythm and keeping the 'ti' distinct helps maintain intelligibility.
A key distinctive feature is the clear, unstressed mid syllable /tɪ/ between the primary stress and the final /ɡoʊ/ or /ɡəʊ/. Do not fuse the syllables into ver-TIG-oh; keep three distinct phonemes and ensure the final syllable has appropriate rounding and a full oral closure on /ɡ/ before the back-vowel.
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Vertigo comes from the Latin vertigo, from vertere, meaning to turn or twist. The root ver- suggests turning, and the -igo ending is related to the noun-forming patterns in Latin-derived English words describing states or conditions. The term entered English medical vocabulary in the 17th–19th centuries as anatomy and neurology advanced, particularly in descriptions of symptoms associated with inner-ear and vestibular system disorders. Early usage framed vertigo as a cue of balance disruption rather than simply a general sense of dizziness, distinguishing it from faintness or lightheadedness. Over time, vertigo broadened in popular language to describe both clinical spinning sensations and metaphorical dizziness in situational contexts (e.g., vertigo of fame). In modern usage, vertigo retains its clinical precision but is also employed figuratively in literature and media to convey overwhelming or disorienting experiences beyond pure spinning sensations.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Vertigo" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Vertigo"
-rgo sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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