How to Pronounce Aural Atresia
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Aural Atresia Pronunciation
AW-ral ah-TREE-zhah
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
AW
stress here
ral ah
TREE
stress here
zhah
4 syllables
What is Aural Atresia?
A congenital condition in which the ear canal fails to form properly, ranging from narrowing (stenosis) to complete absence (atresia) of the canal, and is usually accompanied by microtia and middle ear abnormalities. It causes conductive hearing loss and requires hearing rehabilitation from birth.
Questions About Aural Atresia
How do you pronounce 'aural atresia'?
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Say it like this: "AW-rul ah-TREE-zhuh." The first word rhymes with "oral," and the second word has a "zh" sound like the "s" in "measure." Put the stress on the first syllable of each word: AW-rul and ah-TREE-zhuh.
Which syllable gets the stress when you say 'aural atresia'?
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The stress falls on the first syllable of both words: AW-rul ah-TREE-zhuh. A common mistake is stressing the second syllable and saying "aw-RAL," but that's incorrect. Remember: AW comes first, then rul.
How do you break 'aural atresia' into syllables?
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Aural breaks into two syllables: AW-rul. Atresia breaks into four syllables: ah-TREE-zhuh. Together they're six syllables, but you only stress the first syllable of each word.
What does 'aural' mean on its own?
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Aural (AW-rul) is an adjective that means "related to the ear." It comes from the Latin word "auris," which means "ear." You'll see this root in other ear-related words too.
What does 'atresia' mean, and where does it come from?
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Atresia (ah-TREE-zhuh) comes from Greek and means "without an opening" or "closed off." The Greek prefix "a-" means "without," and "tresia" relates to an opening. When you combine the two word parts, you get a term that describes something that didn't form properly.
What other medical words use the root 'aur-' for ear?
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You'll find "aur-" in words like "auricle" (the outer part of the ear) and "auricular" (meaning ear-related). All of these words trace back to the Latin word for ear, so once you know the root, they're easier to remember and pronounce.
What's a simple way to understand what 'aural atresia' means?
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In plain English, aural atresia describes a condition where the ear canal doesn't form the way it should—it can be narrowed or completely absent. Think of it as the ear canal being "closed off" instead of open and working normally.
Can you use 'aural atresia' in a sentence?
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Here's an example: "The audiologist explained that aural atresia affects how sound travels through the ear." You can also use just "atresia" alone in medical conversation, and people will understand you mean the same thing.