How to Pronounce Frey's Syndrome
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Frey's Syndrome Pronunciation
FRAYZ SIN-drohm
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
FRAYZ SIN
stress here
drohm
2 syllables
What is Frey's Syndrome?
A condition (also called auriculotemporal syndrome or gustatory sweating) that causes sweating and flushing of the cheek in front of the ear while eating, as a result of nerve regrowth after parotid gland surgery or injury. Severed nerve fibers reconnect incorrectly to sweat glands instead of salivary glands.
Questions About Frey's Syndrome
How do you pronounce Frey's Syndrome?
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Frey's Syndrome is pronounced FRAYZ SIN-drohm. The first word rhymes with "graze" or "maze," and the second word starts with "SIN" (like the word "sin") followed by "drohm" (rhymes with "home"). The stress falls on the first syllable of the second word: SIN-drohm.
Why is it called Frey's Syndrome and not just Syndrome?
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The condition is named after a doctor named Frey who first described it, so it's called "Frey's" to honor that discovery. In medicine, many conditions are named after the doctors or scientists who identified them. That's why you'll see the possessive form—Frey's—in the name.
What does the word 'syndrome' mean?
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A syndrome is a group of symptoms or signs that happen together and point to a particular condition. The word comes from Greek and means "running together." So Frey's Syndrome is a specific set of signs that doctors recognize as one particular health condition.
What is the alternate name for Frey's Syndrome, and how do you say it?
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Frey's Syndrome is also called auriculotemporal syndrome (pronounced au-RIK-yuh-loh-TEM-pur-ul SIN-drohm). This name comes from two body parts it affects: the auricular (ear) area and the temporal (temple) area of the face. Both names refer to the exact same condition.
What does 'gustatory' mean in the phrase 'gustatory sweating'?
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Gustatory (pronounced gus-TAY-tuh-ree) comes from the Latin word for "taste." So "gustatory sweating" literally means sweating that happens in connection with eating or tasting food. It's one way doctors describe what happens in Frey's Syndrome.
How many syllables does Frey's Syndrome have?
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Frey's Syndrome has three syllables total: Frey's (1 syllable) + Syn-drome (2 syllables) = 3 syllables. When you say it, it should sound like one smooth phrase: FRAYZ SIN-drohm.
What's a common mistake people make when pronouncing this term?
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A common mistake is stressing the wrong syllable and saying "fray's syn-DROME" (with emphasis on the second syllable of syndrome) instead of "FRAYZ SIN-drohm." Another error is pronouncing Frey's like "FREE'S"—remember, it rhymes with "graze," not "free."
How would you use Frey's Syndrome correctly in a sentence?
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Here's an example: "The patient's doctor explained that Frey's Syndrome can develop after certain types of surgery." You'd use it the same way you'd use any other medical condition name—as a proper noun that names a specific health condition.