How to Pronounce Neurohypophysis
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Neurohypophysis Pronunciation
noor-oh-hy-POF-ih-sis
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
noor
oh
hy
POF
stress here
ih
sis
6 syllables
What is Neurohypophysis?
The posterior lobe of the pituitary gland, composed of axon terminals from hypothalamic neurons, that stores and releases oxytocin and vasopressin (ADH) into the bloodstream.
Questions About Neurohypophysis
How do you pronounce neurohypophysis?
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Neurohypophysis is pronounced noor-oh-hy-POF-ih-sis. Say it like "noor" (rhymes with "poor"), then "oh," then "hy" (like "high"), then "POF" (rhymes with "off"), then "ih," then "sis" (like "kiss"). The stress falls on the POF syllable, which is the loudest and longest part of the word.
What is the stressed syllable in neurohypophysis?
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The stressed syllable is POF, the fourth syllable. A common mistake is to stress the first syllable (NOOR) or the second one (OH), but the emphasis really belongs on POF. When you say it aloud, POF should sound the loudest and take the longest time to say.
How do you break neurohypophysis into syllables?
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Neurohypophysis breaks into six syllables: neur-o-hy-poph-y-sis. Saying it slowly, syllable by syllable, can help you get comfortable with the full word before speeding up.
What do the word parts in neurohypophysis mean?
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Neurohypophysis comes from three Greek roots: neuro- means "nerve," hypo- means "under" or "below," and physis means "growth" or "nature." Together, the word describes the nerve-based part of the structure that sits below the main pituitary gland.
What does neurohypophysis mean in plain English?
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Neurohypophysis is the back or bottom part of a small gland in your brain. If you need an everyday way to think about it, you could call it "the nerve part of the pituitary gland," since the word literally refers to the neural (nerve-related) portion of this gland.
What is a common mispronunciation of neurohypophysis?
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A common mistake is saying noor-oh-hy-poh-FY-sis, with the stress on the second-to-last syllable (FY). The correct stress is on POF, the fourth syllable: noor-oh-hy-POF-ih-sis. Another error is rushing through the "hypo" part and losing the "hy" sound.
Are there related words that share the same roots as neurohypophysis?
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Yes! Words like neurology, neuron, and neuropathy all use the neuro- root meaning "nerve." Words like hypothalamus use hypo- meaning "below," and hypotension means low blood pressure. Learning these roots can help you understand and pronounce many other medical terms.
Is there a short form or abbreviation for neurohypophysis?
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The neurohypophysis is sometimes referred to simply as the "posterior pituitary" in conversation, though that uses different words entirely. There isn't a standard abbreviation like "NHP" that medical professionals commonly use; most just say the full word or use the shorter phrase.

