3 syllables: Zi, ka vi, rus. Stress on Zi.
zee-kuh-VEYE-ruhs
/ˈziː.kə ˈvaɪ.ɹəs/
Zika virus is pronounced zee-kuh-VEYE-ruhs (/ˈziː.kə ˈvaɪ.ɹəs/). It has three syllables (Zi-ka vi-rus), with the stress on "Zi". Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus associated with mild fever, rash, and joint pain in adults and serious congenital defects when contracted during pregnancy. It is primarily transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and through sexual activity, with outbreaks that have raised global public-health concerns. The term combines the geographic name Zika with “virus.”.
nounZika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus associated with mild fever, rash, and joint pain in adults and serious congenital defects when contracted during pregnancy. It is primarily transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and through sexual activity, with outbreaks that have raised global public-health concerns. The term combines the geographic name Zika with “virus.”
"The Zika virus outbreak prompted travel advisories for pregnant women."
"Researchers studied the Zika virus vector and its transmission pathways."
"Public health officials issued guidance on preventing Zika virus infection."
Pronounce as: /ˈziːkə ˈvaɪrəs/. First syllable ZI- with a long E sound, then -ka with a schwa-like neutral vowel. Stress on the first syllable of Zika and on virus’s first syllable. IPA guides: ZI-ka = /ˈziː.kə/, virus = /ˈvaɪ.rəs/. You can listen to native pronunciation on Pronounce or Forvo for a quick audio reference.
Common errors: saying ZI-ka with a short i (/'zɪkə/) instead of /ˈziː.kə/ and collapsing 'virus' to 'vier-us' or 'vee-rus' instead of /ˈvaɪ.rəs/. Correct by segmenting into two words, use a longer /iː/ in ZI-, ensure /v/ at the start of virus, and finish with a weak schwa in -rus. Practice with slowed enunciation and then natural speed.
In US/UK/AU, the core sounds remain /ˈziː.kə/ for Zika and /ˈvaɪ.rəs/ for virus. Rhoticity matters: US and AU speakers pronounce the r in virus as rhotic /ɹ/; UK tends toward non-rhotic /ˈvɪə.rəs/ in some dialects, though medical usage often keeps /ˈvaɪ.rəs/. Zika’s first vowel length can sound longer in careful speech across all variants. Overall, the primary differences are vowel quality and rhoticity, with minor /ˈvaɪ/ vs /ˈviə/ shifts.
Two main challenges: the Zika vowel quality and the awkward vowel transition between Zika and virus. The /ziː/ is a long, tense vowel requiring a high front tongue position, followed by /ɪ/ vs /i/ uncertainty in some accents, then /ˈvaɪ.rəs/ with a diphthong /aɪ/ that users often mispronounce as /eɪ/ or /aɪɑ/. Also, the sequence across word boundary can cause slight stress shift; maintain primary stress on Zika and a clear onset on virus. IPA cues help anchor mouth positions.
There are no silent letters in Zika virus. Each syllable is pronounced; Zika has two distinct vowel sounds (/ˈziː.kə/), and virus has two stressed sounds (/ˈvaɪ.rəs/). Common slip-ups include softening /z/ to an /s/ or omitting the final /ə/ in Zika, but careful articulation keeps all letters audible. Practice by saying the phrase slowly, then pace it to natural speed while keeping all phonemes audible.
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Zika is a toponym derived from the Zika Forest in Uganda, where the virus was first isolated in 1947 during a Surveillance of African yellow fever virus. The species name Zika virus was assigned after the virus was discovered in a rhesus macaque during monitoring of non-mosquito-borne pathogens in that region. For decades, Zika remained relatively obscure, described primarily in primate and mosquito studies. The 2015–2016 outbreak heightened global awareness, transforming Zika from a clinical curiosity into a public-health emergency due to its association with congenital Zika syndrome and neurological complications. The term ‘virus’ comes from Latin virus, meaning poisonous liquid or venom, reflecting early virology language. In modern usage, Zika virus denotes a specific RNA flavivirus in the Flaviviridae family, transmitted mainly by Aedes mosquitoes and, less commonly, by sexual contact, blood transfusion, and vertical transmission. The name has become prototypical in discussions of outbreak research, vector control, and epidemiology, with first widely reported human outbreaks in the Americas during 2015. More recently, genomic sequencing and vaccine development efforts have further embedded Zika virus in medical literature and public health discourse.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Zika virus" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Zika virus"
-ker sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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