4 syllables: Vi, ti, li, go. Stress on ti.
vee-TIL-ig-oh
/viˈtɪlɪɡoʊ/
Vitiligo is pronounced vee-TIL-ig-oh (/viˈtɪlɪɡoʊ/). It has four syllables (Vi-ti-li-go), with the stress on "ti". Vitiligo is a chronic skin condition characterized by depigmented patches resulting from the loss of pigment-producing cells. It is not contagious and varies in presentation, often appearing in childhood or adulthood. While cosmetic concerns are common, the condition has no definitive cure and treatment focuses on restoration of color and protection from sun exposure.
nounVitiligo is a chronic skin condition characterized by depigmented patches resulting from the loss of pigment-producing cells. It is not contagious and varies in presentation, often appearing in childhood or adulthood. While cosmetic concerns are common, the condition has no definitive cure and treatment focuses on restoration of color and protection from sun exposure.
- Overemphasizing the initial /v/ or misplacing stress on the first syllable (vi-TIL-igo). Focus on making the primary stress the third syllable: vi-ti-LI-go. - Incorrect vowel quality in the middle syllable; keep /ɪ/ or a clean /ɪ/ rather than merging with /iː/ or /e/. Practice minimal pairs to stabilize the central vowel. - Final syllable can reduce to a schwa; keep a distinct /o/ or /ə/ depending on accent. Use controlled, slow pronunciation and then speed up.
"Her dermatologist explained that vitiligo can appear anywhere on the body but tends to spread slowly."
"She started topical treatments to even out the patches caused by vitiligo."
"Support groups helped him cope with the social and psychological aspects of vitiligo."
Pronounce as vi-til-I-go with stress on the third syllable: /ˌvɪtɪˈlaɪɡo/ in some descriptions, but standard medical usage is /ˌvɪtɪˈlɪɡo/. In IPA: US/UK/AU share /ˌvɪtɪˈlɪɡo/. Break it into syllables: vi-til-I-go, with primary stress on "li"-like syllable; lips slightly rounded for the final /o/. Audio examples can be found on medical diction sites or forvo entries for “vitiligo.”
Common errors include misplacing stress (say vi-TIL-i-go instead of vi-ti-LI-go) and softening the middle vowel to /ɪ/ or /i/ inconsistently. Another mistake is pronouncing the final "go" as a hard /ɡo/ with an overtly accented /g/ instead of a light, rounded /ɡo/. Focus on maintaining the /ɡ/ as a voiced stop and keeping the middle vowel as /ɪ/ or /lɪ/; practice the sequence vi-ti-LI-go slowly to lock in the stress pattern.
Across accents the core segments /vɪ/ /tɪ/ remain, but vowel quality shifts slightly: US often uses /ˌvɪtɪˈlaɪɡo/ with a more movement toward /aɪ/ on the second syllable in some speakers; UK and AU tend toward /ˌvɪtɪˈlɪɡə/ with a schwa in the final syllable for some speakers. The rhoticity doesn’t change the word’s core, but final vowel quality varies: /o/ in US, /ə/ in many UK/AU realizations before unwritten final consonants. Listen for the subtle vowel height differences and the open–mid realization of /ɪ/ versus /ɪə/ in some dialects.
Three challenges: first, the initial cluster vi- can lead to mis-placing the primary stress; second, the middle /ˈtɪl/ or /ˈlɪ/ segment can be mispronounced as /tɪlɪ/ or conflated with /taɴ/; third, the final /ɡo/ or /ɡə/ can be reduced to a quick /ɡo/ or a flat /ɡə/ depending on accent. The combination of multisyllabic rhythm, medical spelling-to-sound mapping, and the final unstressed vowel in some dialects makes accurate pronunciation challenging; practice the full [Vi-ti-LI-go] pattern with emphasis on the middle syllable and the final rounded vowel.
Some speakers encounter a subtle palatalization risk on the mid syllable due to the sequence -ti- before an [l], causing a slight “tih-lee-go” sound. The recommended approach is to clearly separate the /t/ and /l/: vi-t-i-LI-go with a crisp /t/ release and a steady /l/ before the vowel of the stressed syllable. Maintain the /ɡ/ as a voiced stop and gently round the final /o/. This keeps the phonology transparent and reduces slurring across the syllables.
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- US: emphasize rhotic feel less; keep final /o/ rounded; mid vowels tend toward /ɪ/ or /ɪə/ depending on speaker. - UK: more clipped, with potential schwa in final syllable; ensure /ˈlaɪ/ or /lɪɡə/ variations. - AU: often non-rhotic; final /ə/ or /o/ variation; maintain clear /ɡ/ and final rounded vowel. IPA references: US /ˌvɪtɪˈlɪɡo/, UK /ˌvɪtɪˈlɪɡə/, AU /ˌvɪtɪˈlɪɡə/. - General: keep the middle syllable clearly stressed and avoid slurring across si-libe boundaries.
Vitiligo derives from the Latin vitium meaning "defect" or "blemish" and the suffix -ili-, plus -go from a later formation; however, it is widely treated as a compound of Latin roots with a modern medical suffix. The term entered English medical usage in the 19th century as clinicians described the condition in patient notes and textbooks. Its first documented uses appear in dermatology literature around the late 1800s, gradually standardizing as vitiligo to denote patchy depigmentation. Cross-linguistic adoption in Romance languages mirrors the Latin root, with local phonology shaping pronunciation. The word’s evolution reflects evolving understanding of pigment biology and clinical descriptions, moving from general “skin blemish” terminology to a precise dermatological diagnosis. Today, vitiligo is recognized not as a disease but as a condition with autoimmune associations, prompting research into repigmentation strategies and psychosocial support for affected individuals.
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Words that rhyme with "Vitiligo"
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