How to pronounce speculum
Say it like SPEK-yuh-lum. Speculum has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SPEK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce speculum. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SPEK
- yuh
- lum
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Speculum pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SPEKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- yuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- lumKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of speculum
American and British speakers say speculum in essentially the same way: /ˈspɛkjələm/ in the US and /ˈspɛkjʊləm/ in the UK.
British respelling: SPEK-yuu-lum.
What does speculum mean?
- A medical instrument used during an examination to dilate an orifice.
- A mirror, especially one used in a telescope.
- A bright, lustrous patch of color found on the wings of ducks and some other birds, usually situated on the distal portions of the secondary quills, and much more brilliant in the adult male than in the female.
Where does speculum come from?
Learned borrowing from Latin speculum.
Questions about saying speculum
How do you pronounce speculum?
Say SPEK-yuh-lum. The American pronunciation is /ˈspɛkjələm/. In British English it is /ˈspɛkjʊləm/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in speculum?
Speculum has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SPEK). Broken into parts: SPEK · yuh · lum.
Do Americans and Brits say speculum the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈspɛkjələm/ and the British form is /ˈspɛkjʊləm/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.