Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

stethoscope

/ˈstɛθəsˌkoʊp/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.66 in modern English

Syllables: stetho-scope
IPA: /ˈstɛθəsˌkoʊp/

18

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A medical instrument used for listening to sounds produced within the body.

verb

To auscultate, or examine, with a stethoscope.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"you wish me to submit to be stethoscoped; if so, you shall be gratified, although the prospect of undergoing that, or any other operation at Mr. Pigwidgeon's hands, is not the most agreeable"

Etymology

Borrowed from French stéthoscope, a word coined by its inventor, physician René Laennec, equivalent to stetho- + -scope.

Origin

Source language: French

Word Breakdown

Prefix: stetho
Root: stéthoscope
Suffix: scope

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈstɛθəsˌkoʊp/
British English: /ˈstɛθəskəʊp/

Usage

Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

stethoscopes (plural) stethoscopes (present, singular) stethoscoping (participle, present) stethoscoped (participle, past) stethoscoped (past)

Derived Forms

stethoscopic stethoscopical stethoscopically stethoscopist stethoscopy

Phrases

Pinard fetal stethoscope

Questions

How do you pronounce stethoscope?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈstɛθəsˌkoʊp/.
What does stethoscope mean?: A medical instrument used for listening to sounds produced within the body.
Where does stethoscope come from?: It is traced to French.

How to pronounce stethoscope

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “stethoscope”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈstɛθəsˌkoʊp/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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Repeat and practice — Say “stethoscope” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.