3 syllables: Xan, tho, ma. Stress on tho.
zan-THOH-muh
/zænˈθoʊmə/
Xanthoma is pronounced zan-THOH-muh (/zænˈθoʊmə/). It has three syllables (Xan-tho-ma), with the stress on "tho". Xanthoma is a medical term referring to a yellowish, nodular skin lesion caused by lipid buildup in macrophages within the skin or tendons. It is used primarily in dermatology and metabolic medicine, often arising with lipid disorders. The word is rarely used in everyday conversation but appears in clinical notes and case discussions.
nounXanthoma is a medical term referring to a yellowish, nodular skin lesion caused by lipid buildup in macrophages within the skin or tendons. It is used primarily in dermatology and metabolic medicine, often arising with lipid disorders. The word is rarely used in everyday conversation but appears in clinical notes and case discussions.
"The patient presented with xanthoma-like plaques on the Achilles tendon."
"A lipid panel is recommended when xanthomas are observed to assess underlying hyperlipidemia."
"Xanthoma is commonly associated with familial hypercholesterolemia and other lipid disorders."
You say it as /ˈzænˌθoʊmə/ (ZAN-tho-muh) with primary stress on the first syllable and secondary stress on the second syllable. The initial ZAN uses the short a as in cat, the TH is a light dental sound, and the final -ma is unstressed. Think: ZAN-tho-muh. Audio references can be found on medical pronunciation resources and dictionary apps; repeat slowly, then increase speed while keeping the dental fricative precise.
Common errors include flattening the TH into a hard T or D or misplacing the stress, saying zan-THO-ma with the stress on the wrong syllable, or pronouncing the second syllable as ‘thae’ or ‘tho-uh.’ To correct: keep the TH as a voiced dental fricative (θ) between T and M, keep the second syllable with a clear long o sound /oʊ/, and place primary stress on the first syllable: ZAN-tho-muh.
In US, UK, and AU, the initial vowel remains /æ/ as in ‘cat’ for the first syllable. The main differences are the second syllable: US /ˈzænˌθoʊmə/ features /oʊ/ as in go, UK /ˈzænˌθəʊmə/ uses /əʊ/ and tends to a slightly less rhotic quality in rapid speech, AU /ˈzænˌθɒmə/ uses /ɒ/ in many dialects, with quick, relaxed onset and vowel reduction in casual speech. The TH remains dental in all. Emphasize the same stress pattern but adjust vowel qualities slightly by accent.
Two main challenges: the dental fricative /θ/ is uncommon in many languages and is easy to substitute with /t/ or /f/. The combination of a stressed first syllable with a lightly unstressed second syllable and a long /oʊ/ can trip non-native speakers. The word’s Greek-derived morphology places unusual stress and vowel sequences. Focus on keeping the /θ/ precise and maintaining the diphthong /oʊ/ rather than shortening it.
A key point is the dental fricative /θ/ following the first vowel cluster; many learners substitute with /t/ or /f/. Another is the pronounced long diphthong in the second syllable, /oʊ/ in US and /əʊ/ in UK, which must be held clearly before the final unstressed /mə/. The primary stress is on the first syllable, but keep the second syllable metered with a lighter emphasis to avoid truncation.
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- US: /ˈzænˌθoʊmə/; rhotic context affects the rhotic vowel changes only in connected speech, not the word itself. - UK: /ˈzænˌθəʊmə/; the second syllable reduces to /əʊ/ with a flatter final /mə/. - AU: /ˈzænˌθɒmə/; more open /ɒ/ and more rapid vowel reduction in casual speech. IPA notes: TH remains dental, not voiced as in /θ/ vs /ð/. For all: keep stress on the first syllable; the second syllable carries secondary stress only when the speaker emphasizes the term.
Xanthoma comes from Greek xanthos ‘yellow’ + -oma noun-forming suffix denoting a swelling or tumor. The root xanth- is from xanthos, used in medical terms to signal yellow coloration (as in xanthophyll). The suffix -oma originally indicates a swelling or mass but in modern medical usage it often refers to tumors or lesions, not necessarily neoplastic. The term entered medical lexicon in the 19th century as microscopy and pathological anatomy advanced, enabling precise description of yellow lesions linked to lipid-laden macrophages (foam cells). Early descriptions tied xanthomas to lipid metabolism disorders; over time, the term broadened to describe any yellow, lipid-rich cutaneous lesion, including tuberous or eruptive forms. First known uses appear in European medical literature from the 1800s, with standardized spelling and pronunciation evolving as Greek-derived medical vocabulary solidified in English-language pharmacology and dermatology texts. As a compound word, its morphology clearly signals “yellow tumor,” a direct description of its appearance rather than a statement about behavior or malignancy. Contemporary usage remains anchored in dermatology and metabolic medicine, particularly in discussions of dyslipidemias and familial hyperlipidemias.
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Words that rhyme with "Xanthoma"
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