sternocleidomastoid
Syllables
ster-no-clei-do-mas-toid
Pronunciation
/stɜːrnoʊˌkliːdoʊməˈstɔɪd/
Stress
000101
Morphemes
sterno- + mastoid- + -oid
The word 'sternocleidomastoid' is a complex noun of Greek and Latin origin. It is divided into six syllables: ster-no-clei-do-mas-toid, with primary stress on the penultimate syllable. Syllabification follows vowel-coda and consonant-coda rules, maximizing onsets where possible.
Definitions
- 1
A paired muscle located in the neck, running from the sternum and clavicle to the mastoid process of the temporal bone.
“The doctor palpated the patient's sternocleidomastoid muscle.”
“Strain in the sternocleidomastoid can cause neck pain.”
Stress pattern
Primary stress falls on the antepenultimate syllable ('stɔɪd'). The stress pattern is relatively weak on the other syllables.
Syllables
ster — Open syllable, vowel sound is /ɜːr/. no — Open syllable, diphthong /oʊ/. clei — Open syllable, long vowel /iː/. do — Open syllable, diphthong /oʊ/. mas — Closed syllable, short vowel /æ/. toid — Closed syllable, diphthong /ɔɪ/
Word Parts
Vowel-Coda Rule
Syllables generally end in vowels unless blocked by a consonant cluster.
Consonant-Coda Rule
Syllables can end in consonants.
Maximize Onsets
Consonants are generally assigned to the following vowel to create a syllable onset.
- The word's length and combination of Greek and Latin roots create a complex structure.
- Syllable division aims to adhere to maximizing onsets, but the resulting syllables are not always intuitively obvious.
Nearby Words
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