English pronunciation · Words Starting with P
Pneumonia Pronunciation
Pneumonia is pronounced noo-MOH-nyuh, IPA /nəˈmoʊnjə/.
noo-MOH-nyuh
US /nəˈmoʊnjə/ · UK /njuːˈməʊniə/
Syllables: noo · MOH · nyuh (3 syllables, stress on syllable 2)
noun: A serious lung infection that fills the air sacs with fluid.
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Pneumonia in a Sentence
- He was in hospital for a week with pneumonia.
- Pneumonia is treated with antibiotics when it is bacterial.
- A bad cold turned into pneumonia by the weekend.
Common Mispronunciations of Pneumonia
Not puh-noo-MOH-nee-uh
That opening p is silent. Greek words beginning pn, ps, and pt all drop the first letter in English, as psychology and pterodactyl do.
Not noo-MOH-nee-uh
Three syllables is the usual pace, with nyuh closing the word rather than nee-uh. Both are understood, but the shorter one is what most speakers produce.
Tip: British speakers keep a y glide at the front: nyoo-MOH-nee-uh.
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