How to Pronounce Pleuropneumonectomy
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Pleuropneumonectomy Pronunciation
ploor-oh-noo-moh-NEK-toh-mee
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
ploor
oh
noo
moh
NEK
stress here
toh
mee
7 syllables
What is Pleuropneumonectomy?
The surgical removal of one entire lung along with the surrounding pleura, pericardium, and part of the diaphragm, performed for malignant pleural mesothelioma in selected patients. It is a major operation with significant morbidity but may offer the best chance of long-term survival in appropriate cases.
Questions About Pleuropneumonectomy
How do you pronounce pleuropneumonectomy?
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Pleuropneumonectomy is pronounced ploor-oh-noo-moh-NEK-toh-mee. The stress falls on the fourth syllable: NEK. Think of it as saying "ploor" (rhymes with "poor"), then "oh," then "noo," then "moh," then emphasizing "NEK," and finishing with "toh-mee."
What is the correct stress pattern for this word?
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The main stress is on the NEK syllable (the fourth one): pleur-o-pneu-mo-NEK-to-my. A common mistake is stressing the wrong syllable or putting equal emphasis on multiple parts, which makes the word sound jumbled. Remember: NEK is where your voice should rise.
How many syllables does pleuropneumonectomy have?
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Pleuropneumonectomy has seven syllables: pleur-o-pneu-mo-nec-to-my. Breaking it into smaller chunks helps you say it more smoothly and reduces the chance of stumbling over the longer word.
What does the word part 'pneumo' mean?
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The word part 'pneumo' comes from Greek and means 'lung.' You see it in other medical words like pneumonia (lung infection) and pneumothorax (collapsed lung). In pleuropneumonectomy, it tells you that a lung is involved in the procedure.
What does 'ectomy' mean in this word?
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The ending 'ectomy' comes from Greek and means 'surgical removal.' You find it in many surgical terms like appendectomy (removal of the appendix) and hysterectomy (removal of the uterus). So 'ectomy' is your clue that the word describes removing something.
What does the word part 'pleuro' mean?
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The word part 'pleuro' comes from Greek and means 'pleura,' which is the thin lining around the lungs. It appears in other words like pleurisy (inflammation of the pleura) and pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs). This root tells you the procedure involves the lining around the lung.
In simple terms, what does pleuropneumonectomy mean?
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Pleuropneumonectomy is a medical term for the surgical removal of an entire lung along with certain surrounding tissues. Breaking down the roots: 'pleuro' refers to the lung lining, 'pneumo' means lung, and 'ectomy' means removal—so it literally means the removal of the lung and its lining.
What is a related word that shares the same 'pneumo' root?
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Pneumonectomy is a closely related word—it means the surgical removal of a lung without the additional removal of surrounding tissues. The difference is that pneumonectomy removes just the lung, while pleuropneumonectomy removes the lung plus the pleura and other nearby structures. Both words share the 'pneumo' and 'ectomy' roots.

