How to Pronounce Papilledema
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Papilledema Pronunciation
pap-ih-leh-DEE-mah
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
pap
ih
leh
DEE
stress here
mah
5 syllables
What is Papilledema?
Swelling of the optic disc (where the optic nerve enters the eye) caused by increased intracranial pressure. It can cause blurred vision, visual obscurations, and if severe, permanent vision loss, and is an important sign of elevated brain pressure.
Questions About Papilledema
How do you pronounce papilledema?
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Papilledema is pronounced pap-ih-leh-DEE-mah. Break it into four syllables: PAP-ih-leh-DEE-mah. The stress falls on the last syllable, so you say it loudly and clearly: DEE-mah at the end.
What is the most common mispronunciation of papilledema?
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Many people stress the wrong syllable and say pap-ih-LEE-duh-muh, putting the emphasis in the middle instead of at the end. Remember: the final syllable DEE-mah gets the stress, not the one before it.
Can you break papilledema into its word parts?
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Papilledema comes from two Latin roots: papilla, which means a small bump or nipple-like structure, and edema, which means swelling. So papilledema literally means "swelling of a small bump," referring to swelling of the optic disc in the eye.
What does papilledema mean in plain English?
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Papilledema simply means swelling of the optic disc, which is the spot where the optic nerve (the nerve that carries sight information) enters the back of the eye. It's a medical term for a specific type of eye swelling.
What other medical words share the root 'edema'?
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Many medical words use edema to mean swelling, such as pulmonary edema (swelling in the lungs), cerebral edema (swelling in the brain), and angioedema (swelling under the skin). Once you know edema means swelling, you can understand these related terms.
Which syllable in papilledema should I stress when I say it out loud?
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Always stress the last syllable: pap-ih-leh-DEE-mah. Say DEE-mah loudly and the rest more quietly. A common mistake is stressing PAP at the beginning or LEE in the middle, so practice saying it with the emphasis at the very end.
How would you use papilledema in a simple sentence?
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You might hear: "The eye doctor noticed papilledema during the exam" or "The scan showed papilledema in both eyes." The word is used when talking about or describing this specific type of eye swelling.
Is there a short way to say or write papilledema?
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Doctors sometimes shorten it to just papilledema or use the abbreviation PED, but these are less common in everyday speech. The full word papilledema is what you'll most often hear and read in medical settings.