How to Pronounce “pulmonary”
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- American (US)
- /ˈpʌl.məˌnɛ.ɹi/
What “pulmonary” means
adjective — Pertaining to, having, or affecting the lungs.
Pronunciation Notes
Where the stress falls. “pulmonary” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /ˈpʌl.məˌnɛ.ɹi/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.
An unstressed vowel reduces to schwa. /ˈpʌl.məˌnɛ.ɹi/ 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "pulmonary" mean?
pulmonary (adjective): Pertaining to, having, or affecting the lungs.
What is the IPA transcription of "pulmonary"?
/ˈpʌl.məˌnɛ.ɹi/ in American English.
Which syllable is stressed in "pulmonary"?
“pulmonary” has 4 syllables, and the transcription /ˈpʌl.məˌnɛ.ɹi/ puts the primary stress mark (ˈ) before the first one — so the first syllable is the longest and loudest. The others are said quickly and lightly.
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