How to Pronounce Oligospermia
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Oligospermia Pronunciation
ol-ih-goh-SPER-mee-ah
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
ol
ih
goh
SPER
stress here
mee
ah
6 syllables
What is Oligospermia?
A condition in which a man has a lower than normal sperm count (below 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen), which can reduce fertility. It can be caused by hormonal problems, infections, anatomical issues, or lifestyle factors.
Questions About Oligospermia
How do you pronounce oligospermia?
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Say it like this: ol-ih-goh-SPER-mee-ah. Break it into five syllables, and put the stress on the third syllable (SPER). The word rhymes the stressed part with "per" in "perfect."
What is the stressed syllable in oligospermia?
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The stress falls on SPER, which is the third syllable: ol-ih-GOH-SPER-mee-ah. A common mistake is stressing the first syllable (OH-lih-goh) instead, so remember to emphasize SPER in the middle.
What does the word part 'oligo' mean?
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Oligo comes from Greek and means "few" or "small amount." You'll see this prefix in other medical words too, like oliguria (small amount of urine) and oligodendrocyte (a type of brain cell).
What does the word part 'spermia' mean?
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Spermia comes from the Greek word for sperm. The suffix -ia is used in medical words to describe a condition or state. So spermia relates to sperm count or sperm condition.
What does oligospermia mean in plain English?
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Oligospermia simply means "low sperm count." The word breaks down as oligo (few) plus spermia (sperm), so it describes a condition where there are fewer sperm than expected.
What is the abbreviation for oligospermia?
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The abbreviation is OS. You might see it written as "OS" in medical records or documents, but the full word oligospermia is used more often in conversation.
What other words share the same root as oligospermia?
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Words that share the "oligo" root include oliguria (low urine output) and oligohydramnios (low amniotic fluid). Words that share the "sperm" root include azoospermia (no sperm) and aspermia (absence of sperm).
How would you use oligospermia in a sentence?
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You might say: "The doctor explained that oligospermia means the sperm count is lower than normal." Or: "Understanding the pronunciation of oligospermia helps when reading medical documents aloud."