How to Pronounce Alveoli

Say it like this: al-VEE-oh-ly. The stress falls on the second syllable (VEE), which should sound loud and clear. The first syllable (al) sounds like the letter 'L,' and the last two syllables rhyme with 'see' and 'lee.'

Many people stress the first syllable and say AL-vee-oh-ly, but that's incorrect. Remember: the VEE part gets the stress, not the AL. Think of it as 'emphasis on VEE' and you'll have it right.

Split it into four parts: al-VEE-oh-ly. Each syllable gets one vowel sound, which makes it easier to say slowly if you're learning the word for the first time.

Alveoli are tiny, grape-like air sacs deep inside your lungs. They're where your body trades oxygen from the air you breathe for carbon dioxide waste that needs to leave your body.

It comes from Latin. The singular form is 'alveolus,' which originally meant 'small hollow' or 'small cavity.' The plural ending -i tells you it's more than one (like 'cactus' becoming 'cacti').

The singular is 'alveolus' (al-VEE-oh-lus). When doctors talk about just one tiny air sac, they say alveolus, but when they mean multiple sacs, they say alveoli.

Yes! 'Alveolar' (al-VEE-oh-lar) is an adjective form—doctors use it to describe things related to the alveoli, like 'alveolar disease.' Both words share the Latin root meaning 'small hollow space.'

Here's an example: 'The alveoli are where gas exchange happens in your lungs.' This sentence shows the word in a real medical context without being too technical.