How to pronounce meatus
Say it like mee-AY-tus. Meatus has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce meatus. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- mee
- AY
- tus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Meatus pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- meeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- AYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- tusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of meatus
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: mee-AY-tus.
What does meatus mean?
- A tubular opening or passage leading to the interior of the body.“The urinary meatus is the opening of the urethra, situated on the glans penis in males, and in the vulva in females.”
- The passage leading into the ear.
Where does meatus come from?
Learned borrowing from Latin meātus (“a going, passing; a way, path, passage”).
Words that rhyme with meatus
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of meatus.
Questions about saying meatus
How do you pronounce meatus?
Say mee-AY-tus. The American pronunciation is /miˈeɪtəs/. In British English it is /miˈeɪtəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in meatus?
Meatus has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (AY). Broken into parts: mee · AY · tus.
Is meatus pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t. The British form is /miˈeɪtəs/ (mee-AY-tus).