Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

pus

/pʌs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.02 in modern English

Syllables
pus
IPA
/pʌs/
5
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
1
Syllables
3
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A whitish-yellow or yellow substance composed primarily of dead white blood cells and dead pyogenic bacteria, normally found in regions of bacterial infection.

Uncountable

verb

To emit pus.

noun

Initialism of permanent undersecretary.

British usage

noun

plural of PU

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English pus (15th c.), a borrowing from Latin pus (“pus”). Widely displaced quitter and atter in this sense.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /pʌs/
  • British English: /pʌs/

Usage

Inflected Forms

pura (plural) puss (alternative) pusses (present, singular) pussing (participle, present) pussed (participle, past) pussed (past)

Derived Forms

pusbag puslike pussy seropus

Phrases

pus-gutted

Frequently Paired Words

puriform purulent pustulent suppurant suppurate suppure

Synonyms

purulence suppuration ichor sanies festering pansa

Homonyms

puss (without the foot-strut split)

Rhymes With

us plus thus bus discuss gus russ fuss truss rus sus cus

Questions

How do you pronounce pus?
The recorded pronunciation is /pʌs/.
What does pus mean?
A whitish-yellow or yellow substance composed primarily of dead white blood cells and dead pyogenic bacteria, normally found in regions of bacterial infection.
Where does pus come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce pus

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “pus”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/pʌs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “pus”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “pus” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.