How to Pronounce Microphthalmia
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Microphthalmia Pronunciation
my-krof-THAL-mee-ah
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
my
krof
THAL
stress here
mee
ah
5 syllables
What is Microphthalmia?
A congenital condition in which one or both eyes are abnormally small, often occurring alongside other craniofacial abnormalities relevant to ENT surgeons such as coloboma, orbital abnormalities, and associated hearing loss. It can be part of CHARGE syndrome or other complex craniofacial syndromes.
Questions About Microphthalmia
How do you pronounce microphthalmia?
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Microphthalmia is pronounced my-krof-THAL-mee-ah. The stress falls on the third syllable, which rhymes with "pal" in the word "palace." Say it slowly: my-krof-THAL-mee-ah, with a slight emphasis on THAL.
What are the syllables in microphthalmia?
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Microphthalmia breaks down into five syllables: mi-cro-phthal-mi-a. The tricky part is "phthal," which contains the unusual "phthal" letter combination that many people find hard to spot.
Which syllable do you stress when saying microphthalmia?
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You stress the third syllable: THAL. A common mistake is stressing the first syllable (MY-krof) or the second (kro-), but the correct emphasis is on THAL in the middle of the word.
What do the word parts in microphthalmia mean?
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The word comes from two Greek roots: "micro" means small, and "ophthalm" (from "ophthalmos") means eye. So microphthalmia literally means "small eye" or "small eyes."
What is microphthalmia in plain English?
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Microphthalmia is a condition where one or both eyes are abnormally small. It's a descriptive term that simply refers to the physical characteristic of having undersized eyes.
What other medical words share the root 'ophthalm'?
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Several medical terms use "ophthalm," including ophthalmology (the study of eyes), ophthalmologist (an eye doctor), and ophthalmic (relating to the eyes). All of these words are connected to the Greek word for eye.
What is the short form or abbreviation for microphthalmia?
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Microphthalmia is sometimes abbreviated as MOA in medical writing, though the full term is more commonly used in conversation and documentation.
Can you use microphthalmia in a sentence?
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Here's an example: "The patient was referred to the specialist because microphthalmia was noted during the initial examination." This sentence shows how the word is used to describe an observable characteristic in a medical setting.