In this course, you will encounter new terms and vocabulary. Most of these words aren’t a part of common vocabulary, and will likely be unfamiliar to you. This Anatomy & Physiology Pronunciation Guide, from OpenStax, will help you learn the correct pronunciation of terms as you learn what they mean.
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HUMAN ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
| Key Term | Pronunciation |
| cecum | se’kum |
| centriole | sen’tre-ol |
| cerebral aqueduct | ser’ĕ-bral, sĕ-re’bral |
| cerebral cortex | ser’ĕ-bral, sĕ-re’bral kor’teks |
| cerebral peduncles | ser’ĕ-bral, sĕ-re’bral |
| cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) | ser”ĕ-bro-spi’nal |
| channel protein | pro’tēn |
| chemoreceptor | ke”mo-re-sep’ter |
| cholecystokinin (CCK) | ko”le-sis”to-ki’nin |
| chondrocytes | kon’dro-sīts |
| choroid | ko’roid |
| chromatin | kro’mah-tin |
| chromosome | kro’mo-somz |
| chyme | kīm |
| cilia | sil’e-ah |
| circumduction | ser”kum-duk’shun |
| cisterna chyli | sis-ter’nah ki’li |
| cochlear duct | dukt |
| codon | ko’don |
| colloid | kol’oid |
| cone photoreceptor | fo”to-re-sep’tor |
| conjunctiva | kon”junk-ti’vah |
| cornea | kor’ne-ah |
| corona radiata | kor-o’nah ra-de-ah’tah |
| cortisol | kor’tih-sol |
| covalent bond | ko-va’lent |
| cranium | kra’ne-um |
| creatine phosphate | kre’ah-tin fos-fāt |
| cutaneous membrane | ku-ta’ne-us |
| cytokinesis | si”to-kĭ-ne’sis |
| cytoplasm | si’to-plazm |
| defecation | def”ih-ka’shun |
| deglutition | deg”loo-tish’un |
| dehydration | de”hi-dra’shun |
| dendrite | den’drīt |
| deoxyribonucleic acid | de-ok”sĭ-ri”bo-nu-kla’ik |
| depolarization | de-po”ler-ah-za’shun |
| dermal papilla | pah-pil’ah |
| desmosome | dez’muh-sōm |
| diapedesis | di”ah-pĕ-de’sis |
| diaphysis | di-af’ĭ-sis |
| diastole | di-as’to-le |
| diploë | dip’lo-e |
| diplopia | dĭ-plo’pe-ah |
| DNA polymerase | de-ok”sĭ-ri”bo-nu-kla’ik |
| DNA replication | de-ok”sĭ-ri”bo-nu-kla’ik |
| dural sinus | si’nus |
| eccrine sweat gland | ek’rin |
| edema | ĕ-de’mah |
| effector protein | ef-ek’ter pro’tēn |
| ejaculatory duct | dukt |
| elastic cartilage | kar’tĭ-lij |
| electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) | e-lek”tro-car’de-o-gram” |
| endocardium | en”do-kar’de-um |
| endochondral ossification | en”do-kon’dral os”ĭ-fi-ka’shun |
| endoderm | en’do-derm |
| endometrium | en”do-me’tre-um |
| endomysium | en”do-mis’e-um |
| endosteum | en-dos’te-um |
| endothelium | en”do-the’le-um |
| enteric plexus | plek’sus |
| enzyme | en’zīm |
| ependymal cell | ĕ-pen’dĭ-mul |
| epidermis | ep”ĭ-der’mis |
| epididymis | ep”ĭ-dĭ’dĭ-mis |
| epiglottis | eh”puh-glah’tis |
| epimysium | ep”ĭ-mis’e-um |
| epinephrine | ep”ĭ-nef’rin |
| epiphyseal line | e”pĭ-fis’e-ul |
| epiphyseal plate | e”pĭ-fis’e-ul |
| epithelial tissue | ep”ĭ-the’le-ul |
| erythrocyte | e-rith’ro-sīt |
| estrogens | es’tro-jenz |
| exocrine gland | ek’so-krin |
| exocytosis | ek”so-si-to’sis |
| external acoustic meatus | me-a’tus |
| external anal sphincter | sfink’ter |
| external urinary sphincter | sfink’ter |
| exteroceptor | ek”ster-o-sep’tor |
| extrinsic eye muscles | ek-strin’sik |
| facilitated diffusion | dĭ-fu’zhun |
| fascicle | fas’ĭ-kl |
| fast oxidative (FO) | ok’sĭ-da”tiv |
| feces | fe’sēz |
| fibrin | fi’brin |
| fibrinogen | fi-brin’o-jin |
| fibroblast | fi’bro-blast |
| fibular collateral ligament | lig’ah-ment |
| fixator | fix’a-ter |
| flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) | ad’ĕ-nēn |
| flexion | flek’shun |
| follicle | fah’lih-kul |
| follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) | fah’lih-kul |
| foramen lacerum | fo-ra’men |
| foramen magnum | fo-ra’men |
| foramen ovale | fo-ra’men |
| foramen ovale of the middle cranial fossa | fo-ra’men fos’ah |
| foramen rotundum | fo-ra’men |
| foramen spinosum | fo-ra’men |
| frontal sinus | si’nus |
| fundus | fun’dus |
| G protein | pro’tēn |
| gamete | gam’ēt |
| ganglion | gang’gle-on |
| ganglionic neuron | gan”gle-ah’nik nu’ron |
| gastrulation | gas”troo-la’shun |
| genotype | jen’o-tīp |
| glans penis | pe’nis |
| glenohumeral ligament | lig’ah-ment |
| glial cell | gle’al |
| glomerular filtration rate (GFR) | glo-mer’yoo-ler |
| glottis | glah’tis |
| glucagon | gloo’kah-gon |
| glucocorticoids | gloo”ko-kor’tĭ-koidz |
| gluconeogenesis | gloo”ko-ne”o-jen’ĕ-sis |
| glycocalyx | gli”ko-kal’iks |
| glycolysis | gli-kol’ĭ-sis |
| Golgi apparatus | gol’je |
| gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) | gon”ah-do-trōp’in |
| gonadotropins | gon”ah-do-trōp’inz |
| gonads | go’nads |
| greater splanchnic nerve | splangk’nik |
| gustation | gus-ta’shun |
| gustatory receptor cells | re-sep’tor |
| hard palate | pal’at |
| hematocrit | he-mat’o-krit |
| hematopoiesis | hem”ah-to-poi-e’sis |
| heme | hēm |
| hemoglobin | he’muh-glo-bin |
| hemophilia | he”mo-fil’e-ah |
| hemopoiesis | he”mo-poi-e’sis |
| hemostasis | he”mo-sta’sis |
| hepatic artery | hĕ-pat’ik |
| hepatic artery proper | hĕ-pat’ik |
| hepatic portal system | hĕ-pat’ik |
| hepatic portal vein | hĕ-pat’ik vān” |
| hepatic vein | hĕ-pat’ik vān” |
| hepatopancreatic ampulla | pan”kre-at’ik am-pul’lah |
| hepatopancreatic sphincter | pan”kre-at’ik sfink’ter |
| heterozygous | het”er-o-zi’gus |
| histamine | his’tuh-mēn |
| histology | his-tol’o-je |
| homeostasis | ho”me-o-sta’sis |
| homologous | ho-mol’ŏ-gus |
| homozygous | ho-mo-zi’gus |
| hyaline cartilage | hi’ah-līn kar’tĭ-lij |
| hypercapnia | hi”per-kap’ne-ah |
| hyperglycemia | hi”per-gli-se’me-ah |
| hyperplasia | hi”per-pla’ze-ah |
| hypertrophy | hi-per’trah-fe |
| hypophyseal (pituitary) fossa | hi”po-fiz’-e-al (pĭ-tu’ih-tayr”e) fos’ah |
| hypophyseal portal system | hi”po-fiz’-e-al sis-tem |
| hypothalamus | hi”po-thal’ah-mus |
| hypovolemic shock | hi”po-vo-le’mik |
| hypoxia | hi-pok’se-ah |
| ileocecal sphincter | il”e-o-se’kal sfink’ter |
| ileum | il’e-um |
| iliofemoral ligament | lig’ah-ment |
| inferior mesenteric ganglion | mes”en-ter’ik gang’gle-on |
| inflammation | in”flah-ma’shun |
| infraorbital foramen | fo-ra’men |
| infundibulum | in”fun-dib’u-lum |
| inhibitory post-synaptic potential (IPSP) | post-si-nap’tik |
| integral protein | pro’tēn |
| integumentary system | in-teg”u-men’tar-e sis-tem |
| intercalated disc | in-ter’kah-la”ted |
| interferons | in-ter-fēr’ons |
| internal acoustic meatus | me-a’tus |
| internal anal sphincter | sfink’ter |
| internal carotid artery | kar-rot’id |
| interoceptor | in”ter-o-sep’tor |
| interstitial fluid (IF) | in”ter-stish’al |
| intervertebral disc | in”ter-ver’teh-brul |
| intramembranous ossification | os”ĭ-fi-ka’shun |
| ion | ī’on |
| ionic bond | ī-ah’nik |
| ischiofemoral ligament | lig’ah-ment |
| isometric contraction | i”so-mĕ’trik |
| isotonic contraction | i”so-tah’nik |
| isotope | i’so-tōp |
| jejunum | jĕ-joo’num |
| jugular foramen | fo-ra’men |
| juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA) | juks”tah-glo-mer’u-lar |
| keratin | ker’ah-tin |
| ketone bodies | ke’tōn |
| kinetic energy | ki-net’ik |
| labia majora | la’be-ah |
| labia minora | la’be-ah |
| lacrimal bone | lak’ri-mal |
| lacrimal gland | lak’ri-mal |
| lactation | lak-ta’shun |
| lacteal | lak’te-al |
| lactic acid | lak’tik |
| lactiferous ducts | dukts |
| lactiferous sinus | si’nus |
| lambdoid suture | soo’cher |
| lamina propria | lam’ĭ-nah |
| laryngopharynx | fayr’inks |
| larynx | lar’ingks |
| lateral sulcus | sul’kus |
| leukocytosis | loo”ko-si-to’sis |
| leukopenia | loo”ko-pe’ne-ah |
| limbic system | lim’bik sis-tem |
| lipids | lih’pids |
| lipogenesis | lĭ-po-jen’eh-sis |
| lipoprotein lipase | lĭ-po-pro’tēn |
| longitudinal fissure | fih’sher |
| lumbar enlargement | lum’bar |
| lumbar plexus | lum’bar plek’sus |
| lumbar puncture | lum’bar |
| lumbar vertebrae | lum’bar |
| lumen | loo’min |
| luteinizing hormone (LH) | lu’te-in-īz”ing |
| lymph node | limf |
| lymphatic capillaries | lim-fat’ik kap’il-layr”ēs |
| lymphatic trunks | lim-fat’ik |
| lysosome | li’so-sōm |
| macrophage | mak’ro-fāj” |
| macula | mak’u-lah |
| major duodenal papilla | pah-pil’ah |
| mammary glands | mam’mer-e |
| mandible | man’dĭ-bl |
| mandibular fossa | fos’ah |
| mastication | mas”tĭ-ka’shun |
| maxillary sinus | si’nus |
| mechanoreceptor | meh”kĕ-no-re-sep’tor |
| medial geniculate nucleus | me’de-ahl nu’kle-is |
| medulla | mĕ-dul’ah |
| melanin | mel’ah-nin |
| melatonin | mel”ah-to’nin |
| menarche | mĕ-nar’ke |
| meninges | mĕ-nin’jēz |
| mesencephalon | mes”en-sef’ah-lon |
| mesenchyme | meh’zin-kīm |
| mesoderm | mez’o-derm |
| metabolic acidosis | mĕt”ah-bol’ik as”ĭ-do’sis |
| metabolic alkalosis | mĕt”ah-bol’ik al”kah-lo’sis |
| metabolic rate | mĕt”ah-bol’ik |
| metabolism | mĕ-tab’o-lizm |
| metabotropic receptor | re-sep’tor |
| metastasis | mĕ-tas’tah-sis |
| microfilament | mi”kro-fil’ah-ment |
| microglia | mi-kro’gle-ah |
| microtubule | mi”kro-tu’būl |
| micturition | mik”tu-rish’un |
| middle cranial fossa | fos’ah |
| mineralocorticoids | min”er-al”ō-kor’tih-koydz |
| minerals | min’er-alz |
| mitochondrion | mi”to-kon’dre-on |
| molar | mo’lar |
| monocyte | mon’o-sīt |
| monosaccharide | mon”o-sak’ah-rīd |
| morula | mor’u-lah |
| mucous membrane | myoo’kus |
| mucous neck cell | myoo’kus |
| muscarinic receptor | mus”kah-rin’ik re-sep’tor |
| myelin sheath | mi’ĕ-lin |
| myocardial infarction | mi”o-kar’de-al in-fark’shun |
| myocardium | mi”o-kar’de-um |
| myofibril | mi”o-fi’bril |
| myometrium | mi”o-me’tre-um |
| nasal bone | na’sal |
| nasal cavity | na’sal |
| nasal septum | na’sal |
| nephrons | nef’rons |
| nerve plexus | plek’sus |
| neuroglia | nu-rog’le-ah |
| neuron | nu’ron |
| neuropeptide | nu”ro-pep’tīd |
| neutron | nu’tron |
| nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) | ad’ĕ-nēn dĭ-nu’kle-o-tīd |
| nicotinic receptor | nik”o-tin’ik re-sep’tor |
| nociceptor | no”se-sep’tor |
| nonshivering thermogenesis | ther”mo-jen’ĕ-sis |
| norepinephrine | nor”ep-ĭ-nef’rin |
| nucleolus | nu-kle’o-lus |
| nucleosome | nu’kle-o-sōm |
| nucleotide | nu’kle-o-tīd |
| nucleus | nu’kle-is |
| nucleus pulposus | nu’kle-is |
| olfactory epithelium | ep”ĭ-the’le-um |
| oligodendrocyte | ol”ĭ-go-den’dro-sīt |
| oocyte | o’o-sīt |
| oogenesis | o”o-jen’ĕ-sis |
| optic canal | op’tik |
| optic chiasma | op’tik ki-az’muh |
| optic disc | op’tik |
| optic nerve | op’tik |
| optic tract | op’tik |
| organ of Corti | kor’tih |
| organ system | sis-tem |
| oropharynx | fayr’inks |
| osmosis | oz-mo’sis |
| ossicles | ah’sih-kulz |
| ossification | os”ĭ-fi-ka’shun |
| osteoblast | os’te-o-blast |
| osteoclast | os’te-o-klast |
| osteocyte | os’te-o-sīt |
| osteoid | os’te-oid |
| osteomalacia | os”te-o-mah-la’she-ah |
| osteon | os’te-on |
| osteoporosis | os”te-o-po-ro’sis |
| ovarian cycle | o-vayr’e-an |
| ovulation | ov”u-la’shun |
| ovum | o’vum |
| oxidation | oks’ĭ-da”shun |
| oxidation–reduction reaction | oks’ĭ-da”shun |
| oxidative phosphorylation | ok’sĭ-da”tiv fos”for-ĭ-la’shun |
| oxyhemoglobin | ok”sĭ-he”mo-glo’bin |
| oxytocin | ok”sĭ-to’sin |
| pancreas | pan’kre-us |
| pancreatic amylase | pan”kre-at’ik |
| pancreatic islets | pan”kre-at’ik |
| pancreatic juice | pan”kre-at’ik |
| pancreatic nuclease | pan”kre-at’ik |
| papilla | pah-pil’ah |
| paracrine | par’ah-krin |
| paranasal sinus | si’nus |
| parasympathetic nervous system | sis-tem |
| parathyroid glands | par”ah-thi’roid |
| parathyroid hormone (PTH) | par”ah-thi’roid |
| paravertebral ganglia | par”ah-ver’tĕ-brul gang’gle-ah |
| parietal bone | pah-ri’ĕ-tal |
| parietal cell | pah-ri’ĕ-tal |
| parietal lobe | pah-ri’ĕ-tal |
| parieto-occipital sulcus | sul’kus |
| parturition | par”tu-rish’un |
| passive immunity | im”ūn’ĭ-te |
| patellar ligament | lig’ah-ment |
| pectoral girdle | pek’tor-al |
| pelvic diaphragm | pel’vik di’ah-fram |
| pelvic girdle | pel’vik |
| penis | pe’nis |
| peptide bond | pep’tīd |
| pericardium | per”ĭ-kar’de-um |
| perimysium | per”ĭ-mis’e-um |
| perineum | per”ĭ-ne’um |
| periodontal ligament | lig’ah-ment |
| periosteum | per”e-os’te-um |
| peripheral nervous system (PNS) | sis-tem |
| peripheral protein | pro’tēn |
| peristalsis | per”i-stal’sis |
| peroxisome | pĕ-roks’ĭ-sōm |
| phagocytosis | fag”o-si-to’sis |
| pharynx | fayr’inks |
| phenotype | fe’no-tīp |
| phospholipid | fos”fo-lip’id |
| photoreceptor | fo”to-re-sep’tor |
| physiology | fiz”e-ol’o-je |
| pineal gland | pin’e-al |
| pinocytosis | pe”no-si-to’sis |
| pituitary dwarfism | pĭ-tu’ih-tayr”e |
| pituitary gland | pĭ-tu’ih-tayr”e |
| plantar flexion | flek’shun |
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