How to pronounce "lobotomies" in English
lo·BO·to·mies
Primary stress: bo
Hear native speakers say lobotomies in context across real video clips
Linguistic Pronunciation Masterclass: “lobotomies”
Phonetic mechanics, syllable architecture, and conversational cadence
Syllable Architecture & Stress Distribution
lo
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
BO
Elevated pitch, sustained vowel length, and full acoustic clarity.
to
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
mies
Reduced vowel sound, relaxed jaw, and minimal vocal effort.
Primary emphasis falls on the second syllable ("BO"). Raise your pitch and sustain the vowel length on this syllable while relaxing the surrounding syllables.
Common Pronunciation Traps & Learner Mistakes
The Trap: Pronouncing a hard, aspirated [tʰ] in casual conversation can sound overly formal in North America.
How Native Speakers Say It: In American English, a single "t" between vowels quickly taps against the alveolar ridge like a soft "d" ([ɾ]). In British English, maintain a crisp aspirated [tʰ].
Connected Speech & Natural Conversational Flow
When "lobotomies" is followed by a word starting with a vowel, glide the final consonant into the opening vowel (e.g. "lobotomies is" sounds like "lobotomies-iz").
Maintain the stress-timed rhythm of English: compress unstressed syllables rapidly so the beat of "lobotomies" aligns naturally with adjacent words.
Authentic Spoken Quotes from Native Video Context
“By the mid-60s, lobotomies were most often found in science fiction and horror films, where they became a potent metaphor”— TED-EdWatch clip
“And before it was over with, it had just as bad of a history as frontal lobotomies.”— StanfordWatch clip
“As early as 1937, doctors had noticed that lobotomies caused strange, unexplained eye movements in some patients.”— SciShowWatch clip
“Of the thousands of lobotomies Freeman performed, roughly 40% were on homosexuals.”— Smithsonian ChannelWatch clip
“They drove in a white van all around the country called the automobile, and they would just go around giving lobotomies to just all sorts of people.”— TEDx TalksWatch clip
“@zeldafitzlauryn asks, "Why were lobotomies ever a thing?" Lobotomies were not only a thing, they are the only instance where neurosurgery”— WIREDWatch clip
Practice Speaking “lobotomies”
Listen to native pronunciation, record yourself repeating the sentence into your microphone, and receive real-time word-by-word accuracy scoring.
By the mid-60s, lobotomies were most often found in science fiction and horror films, where they became a potent metaphor
Hear it in context: “lobotomies”
30 clipsThe English word “lobotomies”. Phonologically, it consists of 4 syllables (lo · bo · to · mies), with primary lexical stress placed on the 2nd syllable (bo). Grammatically, “lobotomies” functions as a noun. SayItVid indexes 30 authentic English video clips demonstrating how native speakers articulate “lobotomies” in natural connected speech across American (US: 8 sampled), British (UK), and Australian (AUS) accents, including verified broadcasts from TED-Ed, Stanford, SciShow.
Spoken Video Transcripts & Contextual Quotes (5 Verified Clips)
- 🇺🇸 USTED-EdClip #1 · @5:41
“and more predictable alternative. By the mid-60s, lobotomies were most often found in science fiction and horror films, where they became a potent metaphor where they became a potent metaphor”
- 🇺🇸 USStanfordClip #2 · @90:27
“of court-enforced amygdalectomies. And before it was over with, it had just as bad of a history as frontal lobotomies. as frontal lobotomies.”
- 🇺🇸 USSciShowClip #3 · @7:12
“Despite the rising popularity of this surgery, there was soon plenty of criticism. As early as 1937, doctors had noticed that lobotomies caused strange, unexplained eye movements in some patients. movements in some patients.”
- 🇺🇸 USSmithsonian ChannelClip #4 · @3:10
“but often left patients severely disabled. Of the thousands of lobotomies Freeman performed, roughly 40% were on homosexuals. were on homosexuals.”
- 🇺🇸 USTEDx TalksClip #5 · @10:07
“just give around to all people. They drove in a white van all around the country called the automobile, and they would just go around giving lobotomies to just all sorts of people. and they would just go around giving lobotomies to just all sorts of people.”
Definition & Meaning: “lobotomies”
- A surgical operation involving cutting into a lobe of a body organ, specifically (neurosurgery), a procedure, now largely disused, involving severing connections between the prefrontal cortex and the thalamic region of the frontal lobe of the brain to treat certain mental illnesses.
Example Sentences (3)
- “Old psychiatric hospitals are even more frightening. They existed at a time in history when shock therapy, brain tissue manipulation, implants, drug experimentation and lobotomies were treatments de jour.”
- “By the mid-60s, lobotomies were most often found in science fiction and horror films, where they became a potent metaphor”
- “And before it was over with, it had just as bad of a history as frontal lobotomies.”
Common Phrases & Collocations
Pronounce: “lobotomies”
- Syllables:
- lo · bo · to · mies
- Primary stress:
- bo
- Hear it in context
- lobotomies
Words that Sound Identical (Homophones)
Unique Sound"lobotomies" has no true homophones in standard English — there are no other words with identical pronunciation. Unlike sound-alike pairs like there / their or peace / piece, "lobotomies" has a completely distinct phonetic identity.
Frequently asked questions about lobotomies
How many syllables are in “lobotomies”?
“lobotomies” has 4 syllables: lo · bo · to · mies.
Where is the stress in “lobotomies”?
The primary stress in “lobotomies” is on “BO”. Listen for that stressed syllable in the clips above.
What does “lobotomies” mean?
A surgical operation involving cutting into a lobe of a body organ, specifically (neurosurgery), a procedure, now largely disused, involving severing connections between the prefrontal cortex and the thalamic region of the frontal lobe of the brain to treat certain mental illnesses.
How can I hear “lobotomies” used in real sentences?
This page has 30 real-world video examples of “lobotomies” with synchronized subtitles. Use Previous / Next (or ← / → keys) to hear each one at the exact moment it is spoken.
What is the most common pronunciation mistake when saying “lobotomies”?
Pronouncing a hard, aspirated [tʰ] in casual conversation can sound overly formal in North America. In American English, a single "t" between vowels quickly taps against the alveolar ridge like a soft "d" ([ɾ]). In British English, maintain a crisp aspirated [tʰ].