How to Pronounce Labia Minora

Say it like this: LAY-bee-ah mih-NOR-ah. The first word rhymes with 'day,' the second word sounds like 'bee-uh,' and the third word has the stress on the second syllable (NOR). Put them together smoothly, and you've got it right.

The stress falls on the second syllable of the second word: LAY-bee-ah mih-NOR-ah. A common mistake is stressing the first syllable of 'minora' instead, but the emphasis should be on the 'NOR' part.

'Labia' comes from Latin and simply means 'lips.' In anatomy, it refers to folds of skin, not the lips on your mouth. The word is plural, so 'labia' always refers to more than one fold.

'Minora' is Latin for 'smaller' or 'lesser.' So 'labia minora' literally translates to 'smaller lips' or 'lesser lips,' which describes their size compared to another related structure called the labia majora.

Both terms use the same Latin word 'labia' (lips), but 'majora' means 'larger' while 'minora' means 'smaller.' Labia majora are the outer folds, and labia minora are the inner folds—the names describe their relative sizes and positions.

Break it like this: LA-bi-a mi-NOR-a. The first word has three syllables, and the second word has three syllables too. Saying each syllable separately can help you practice before saying the whole phrase together.

Remember that 'labia' means 'lips' and 'minora' means 'smaller.' Put them together, and 'labia minora' means 'smaller lips'—it's an anatomical term for the inner folds of skin in that area of the body.

A common mistake is saying LAY-bee-ah mih-NOR-uh (with an 'uh' sound at the end instead of 'ah') or stressing the wrong syllable. Remember: the ending sounds like 'rah' not 'ruh,' and stress the NOR part of 'minora.'