How to Pronounce Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction Pronunciation
kon-JEN-ih-tal nay-zoh-LAK-rih-mal DUKT ob-STRUK-shun
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
kon
JEN
stress here
ih
tal nay
zoh
LAK
stress here
rih
mal DUKT ob
STRUK
stress here
shun
10 syllables
What is Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction?
Failure of the nasolacrimal duct (the tear drainage tube from the eye to the nose) to open completely at birth, causing excessive tearing and eye discharge from the first weeks of life. It resolves spontaneously in most infants by 12 months.
Questions About Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction
How do you pronounce 'congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction'?
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Say it like this: kon-JEN-ih-tal nay-zoh-LAK-rih-mal DUKT ob-STRUK-shun. The stress falls on the second syllable of "congenital" (JEN), the third syllable of "nasolacrimal" (LAK), and the second syllable of "obstruction" (STRUK). If you say it slowly at first, it becomes much easier.
What does 'congenital' mean in this term?
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"Congenital" (kon-JEN-ih-tal) means something that is present from birth. It comes from Latin roots meaning "born together." In this term, it tells you that the duct obstruction exists right from when the baby is born, not something that develops later.
What do the word parts in 'nasolacrimal' mean?
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"Naso" comes from Latin for "nose," and "lacrimal" comes from Latin for "tears." So "nasolacrimal" literally refers to the connection between the nose and tear system. This is why it's called the nasolacrimal *duct*—it's the tube that drains tears from your eye down into your nose.
What is a simpler way to say 'congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction'?
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You can call it a "blocked tear duct from birth" or simply a "congenital tear duct blockage." In plain English, it means the tiny drainage tube that normally lets tears flow from the eye to the nose is not fully open when a baby is born.
What is the most common mistake when pronouncing this term?
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The biggest mistake is stressing the wrong syllables. People often say "kon-jen-I-tal" instead of "kon-JEN-ih-tal," or they mispronounce "nasolacrimal" by stressing the first syllable instead of the third. Remember: JEN in congenital, and LAK in nasolacrimal are where the stress goes.
How many syllables does 'nasolacrimal duct obstruction' have?
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"Nasolacrimal" has five syllables: nay-zoh-LAK-rih-mal. "Duct" is just one syllable. "Obstruction" has three: ob-STRUK-shun. Breaking the whole phrase into chunks like this makes it much easier to say correctly.
What other medical words share the root 'lacrimal'?
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You'll also hear "lacrimal gland" (the gland that produces tears) and "lacrimal sac" (a small pouch in the tear drainage system). The word "lacrimal" always relates to tears and the tear system in the eye area.
How would you use this term in a simple sentence?
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A doctor might say: "The infant was diagnosed with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction." Or: "A congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction can cause excessive tearing in newborns." The term is used to describe the specific condition involving the tear drainage pathway.