How to Pronounce Pierre-Robin Syndrome
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Pierre-Robin Syndrome Pronunciation
pee-YAIR ROH-ban SIN-drohm
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
pee
YAIR ROH
stress here
ban SIN
drohm
4 syllables
What is Pierre-Robin Syndrome?
An alternate term for Pierre Robin sequence, referring to the triad of micrognathia (small lower jaw), glossoptosis (backward displacement of the tongue), and airway obstruction, often accompanied by cleft palate. It is considered a "sequence" because micrognathia is the initiating abnormality that leads to the other features, and can be isolated or part of Stickler syndrome, velocardiofacial syndrome, or other conditions.
Questions About Pierre-Robin Syndrome
How do you pronounce Pierre-Robin Syndrome?
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Say it as pee-YAIR ROH-ban SIN-drohm. The stress falls on the first syllable of "Robin" (ROH-ban), which is where your voice gets a little louder. Pierre sounds like "pee-YAIR" (rhymes with "peer" and "air"), and syndrome rhymes with "drome."
What is the most common mispronunciation of this term?
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Many people stress the wrong syllable and say "pee-yair roh-BAN" instead of "pee-YAIR ROH-ban." Remember: the emphasis goes on ROH, not on ban. It's easy to get this backwards, so listen carefully to how it's pronounced in medical settings.
How do you break Pierre-Robin Syndrome into syllables?
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Break it down as: pee-YAIR / ROH-ban / SIN-drohm. That's three main chunks: the first name (2 syllables), the last name (2 syllables), and the condition (2 syllables), for a total of 6 syllables.
Why is it called Pierre-Robin and not something else?
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Pierre Robin was a French doctor who first described this group of features together in the early 1900s. In medicine, when a condition is named after a person, it's called an "eponym." So this term honors the doctor who identified it.
What does 'syndrome' mean in this name?
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Syndrome means a collection of signs or features that happen together as a pattern. In this case, it's a group of related physical features that tend to occur at the same time. The word comes from Greek roots meaning "running together."
Is there a shorter way to say Pierre-Robin Syndrome?
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Yes, doctors often call it "Pierre Robin sequence" or just "PRS" for short. Some people use the abbreviation PRS in written medical records, which you would say aloud as "P-R-S" (letter by letter).
What is the plain English meaning of Pierre-Robin Syndrome?
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In everyday terms, it's a condition where certain physical features of the face and jaw occur together as a pattern. It's named after the doctor who first recognized and described how these features connect to each other.
What are some related words that share roots with 'syndrome'?
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You'll hear similar medical words like "Down syndrome," "Marfan syndrome," and "Ehlers-Danlos syndrome." All of these use "syndrome" the same way—to describe a pattern of features that appear together. The word appears in many medical condition names.