How to Pronounce Bronchitis

Bronchitis is pronounced bron-KY-tis. The stress falls on the second syllable, which rhymes with "sky." Say it like you're saying "bronc" (as in bronco) plus "KY" (like the state Kentucky) plus "tis."

Many people put the stress on the first syllable and say BRON-ki-tis, but that's incorrect. The correct stress is on the second syllable: bron-KY-tis. Remember: the "KY" part gets the emphasis.

Bronchitis breaks into three syllables: bron-chi-tis. When you say it naturally, it sounds like "bron-KY-tis" because the "ch" and "i" blend together into that "KY" sound.

Bronchitis comes from two Greek roots: "bronchus" (which means the large airways in your lungs) and "-itis" (which means inflammation). So bronchitis literally means "inflammation of the bronchi," or swelling of the airways.

Bronchitis means inflammation, or swelling, of the tubes inside your lungs that carry air. Think of it as irritated airways that get inflamed, which is why people often develop a cough.

Several words use the same "bronch-" root: bronchial (relating to the bronchi), bronchoscope (a tool to look inside the airways), and bronchodilator (a medication category that opens airways). All of these relate to the tubes in your lungs.

Doctors sometimes write it as "bronc." as an abbreviation, but bronchitis itself is already fairly short, so the full word is used most of the time in conversation and writing.

Here's an example: "My doctor said I have acute bronchitis, which is why I've had this cough." This shows the word being used to describe a condition affecting the airways.