How to Pronounce “immunodeficiency”

American (US)

/ɪˌmjuːnəʊdɪˈfɪʃənsi/

British (UK)

/ɪˌmjuːnəʊdɪˈfɪʃənsi/

noun — A depletion in the body's natural immune system, or in some component of it.

Where the stress falls. “immunodeficiency” has 7 syllables, and the transcription /ɪˌmjuːnəʊdɪˈfɪʃənsi/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the fifth one — so the fifth syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.

An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ɪˌmjuːnəʊdɪˈfɪʃənsi/ contains a schwa /ə/ — the short, neutral “uh” that English unstressed syllables collapse into. Saying /ə/ there, instead of the vowel the spelling suggests, is most of what makes the word sound native.

What does "immunodeficiency" mean?

immunodeficiency (noun): A depletion in the body's natural immune system, or in some component of it.

How do you pronounce "immunodeficiency" in American vs British English?

Both accents use the same sequence of phonemes for "immunodeficiency", /ɪˌmjuːnəʊdɪˈfɪʃənsi/, so the difference you hear is in how the vowels are coloured rather than in which sounds are used. Play both on this page to compare.

What is the IPA transcription of "immunodeficiency"?

/ɪˌmjuːnəʊdɪˈfɪʃənsi/ in American English, /ɪˌmjuːnəʊdɪˈfɪʃənsi/ in British English.

Which syllable is stressed in "immunodeficiency"?

“immunodeficiency” has 7 syllables, and the transcription /ɪˌmjuːnəʊdɪˈfɪʃənsi/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the fifth one — so the fifth syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.