How to Pronounce Folliculitis
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Folliculitis Pronunciation
foh-lik-yoo-LY-tis
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
foh
lik
yoo
LY
stress here
tis
5 syllables
What is Folliculitis?
Inflammation of the hair follicles, usually caused by a bacterial infection (most commonly Staphylococcus aureus) but sometimes by fungi, viruses, or physical irritation. It appears as small red bumps or white-headed pimples around hair follicles on the skin, resembling acne; mild cases resolve on their own or with topical antibiotics.
Questions About Folliculitis
How do you pronounce 'folliculitis'?
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Say it like this: foh-lik-yoo-LY-tis. Start with "foh" (rhymes with "go"), then "lik" (like the word "lick"), then "yoo" (like the letter U), and finish with "LY-tis" where you stress the "LY" part the loudest. The whole word has four syllables, and the third syllable gets the strongest emphasis.
Which syllable do people stress incorrectly?
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Many people accidentally stress the first syllable and say "FOL-lik-yoo-LY-tis," but that's wrong. The stress belongs on the third syllable: foh-lik-yoo-LY-tis. A helpful tip is to think of the word "lie" or "lyre"—that's where the emphasis goes.
What does the word 'folliculitis' break down into?
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The word comes from two Latin-based parts: "follicul-" (meaning a small sac or pouch, especially a hair follicle) and "-itis" (meaning inflammation). So literally, folliculitis means "inflammation of the follicles."
What does '-itis' mean in medical words?
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The suffix "-itis" is a medical ending that always means inflammation. You'll see it in many medical terms like bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchi), meningitis (inflammation of the meninges), and colitis (inflammation of the colon).
What's a simple, everyday way to describe folliculitis?
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Folliculitis is basically inflammation or irritation of the hair follicles on your skin. Hair follicles are the tiny openings where hair grows, and when they become inflamed, they can look like small red bumps or pimples.
What are other medical words that share the 'follicul-' root?
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Related words include "follicle" (the small sac itself where hair or hormones develop) and "follicular" (an adjective meaning relating to follicles, as in "follicular cysts"). Both come from the same Latin root.
How would you use 'folliculitis' correctly in a sentence?
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Here's an example: "The dermatologist explained that the patient's skin condition was folliculitis." Or: "Folliculitis can sometimes look similar to acne, but the two are different conditions." Notice how it's used as a noun naming a specific condition.
Is there a shorter abbreviation for folliculitis?
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There isn't a common short abbreviation for folliculitis like you might see with some other medical terms. Doctors and healthcare providers typically just write or say the full word "folliculitis."