How to Pronounce Interatrial Septum

Say it like this: in-ter-AY-tree-ul SEP-tum. The stress falls on the third syllable—AY—so you say it a bit louder and longer than the other parts. The first part rhymes with 'inter' (as in 'between'), and 'septum' sounds like 'SEP' (rhymes with 'step') plus 'tum'.

The prefix 'inter-' comes from Latin and means 'between.' So 'interatrial' literally means 'between the atria'—the two upper chambers of the heart. That's exactly what this wall does: it sits between the left and right atria.

The word 'septum' comes from Latin and means 'a wall' or 'a dividing partition.' In anatomy, any 'septum' is a structure that separates two spaces or chambers. In this case, the interatrial septum is the wall separating the two upper chambers of the heart.

Many people stress the wrong syllable and say 'IN-ter-ay-TREE-ul' instead of the correct 'in-ter-AY-tree-ul.' Others might rush through 'atrial' and make it sound like 'at-rial' instead of 'AY-tree-ul.' Slowing down and stressing the third syllable helps you get it right.

Yes: in-ter-AY-tree-ul sep-tum. That's five syllables in 'interatrial' and two in 'septum' for a total of seven. When you separate it this way, it's easier to see that AY is the stressed syllable in the first word.

In simple terms, it's 'the wall between the heart's two upper chambers.' The 'interatrial' part means it's between the atria, and the 'septum' part is just the fancy word for the wall itself.

You might hear 'nasal septum' (the wall dividing the left and right sides of your nose) or 'ventricular septum' (the wall between the heart's two lower chambers). All of these are 'septa,' or walls, that divide different spaces in the body.

You might read or hear something like: 'The doctor examined the interatrial septum on the ultrasound to make sure it was healthy.' Or: 'The interatrial septum is the structure that keeps the left and right atria separate.'