How to Pronounce Neonatologist

Say it like this: nee-oh-nay-TOL-oh-jist. The stress falls on the fourth syllable, which is TOL. Break it into five syllables, and remember that the first syllable rhymes with "bee" and the third syllable rhymes with "bay."

Many people stress the wrong syllable and say nee-oh-NAY-tol-oh-jist, putting the emphasis on the third syllable instead of the fourth. Remember: the stress goes on TOL, not on nay.

Yes! The word breaks down like this: nee-oh-nay-TOL-oh-jist. Each syllable is separate, with five total. The longest part of the word is at the beginning, which is why people sometimes mispronounce it.

The word comes from three parts: "neo" (meaning new), "natal" (meaning birth), and "ologist" (meaning specialist or doctor). Put together, it literally means "a doctor who specializes in newborns."

A neonatologist is a baby doctor—specifically, a doctor who takes care of newborn babies. You could also call them a newborn specialist or infant specialist.

Words like "neonatal" (relating to newborns) and "natality" (the birth rate) share the "natal" root. You'll also see "ologist" in words like cardiologist and dermatologist, which all mean different types of specialists.

You might say: "The hospital hired a new neonatologist to work in the NICU." Or: "If you want to understand newborn care better, you could read articles written by neonatologists."

Not really a common abbreviation for the job title itself, but the place where they work—the neonatal intensive care unit—is often shortened to NICU (said as "nick-you").