How to pronounce anencephaly
Say it like an-in-SEF-uh-lee. Anencephaly has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (SEF).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce anencephaly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- an
- in
- SEF
- uh
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Anencephaly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- anKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- inKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- SEFSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of anencephaly
American and British speakers say anencephaly in essentially the same way: /ænɪnˈsɛfəli/ in the US and /ænɪnˈsɛfəlɪ/ in the UK.
British respelling: an-in-SEF-uh-lih.
What does anencephaly mean?
- A lethal birth defect involving the abscence of a major portion of the brain and parts of the skull are missing; absence of the encephalon.
Where does anencephaly come from?
Internationalism. Learned borrowing from New Latin anencephalia.
Words that rhyme with anencephaly
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of anencephaly.
Questions about saying anencephaly
How do you pronounce anencephaly?
Say an-in-SEF-uh-lee. The American pronunciation is /ænɪnˈsɛfəli/. In British English it is /ænɪnˈsɛfəlɪ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in anencephaly?
Anencephaly has five syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (SEF). Broken into parts: an · in · SEF · uh · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say anencephaly the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ænɪnˈsɛfəli/ and the British form is /ænɪnˈsɛfəlɪ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.