How to Pronounce Tongue Tie

Say it like "TUNG TY." The first word rhymes with "lung" or "sung," and the second word sounds like the word "tie" (as in tying your shoes). Put the emphasis on the first syllable: TUNG.

The medical term is ankyloglossia (say: ang-kee-lo-GLAW-see-uh). "Ankylo" means stiff or fused, and "glossia" refers to the tongue, so the word literally means a stiff or restricted tongue.

Yes: ank-y-lo-GLAW-see-uh. There are six syllables, and the stress falls on the fourth syllable: GLAW. The first part (ankylo) comes from Greek and means "stiff," while the second part (glossia) also comes from Greek and means "tongue."

Frenulum (say: FREN-you-lum) is the small piece of tissue under the tongue that connects it to the floor of the mouth. In tongue tie, this tissue is too tight. The word comes from Latin and means "little bridle" — like a strap that holds something back.

Both words start with "frenulo-" (referring to that tissue under the tongue). A frenulotomy (say: fren-you-LAW-tuh-mee) ends in "-tomy," which means to cut. A frenuloplasty (say: FREN-you-lo-plas-tee) ends in "-plasty," which means to reshape or repair. Both are surgical approaches to the same tissue.

It's two words: "tongue" and "tie." When you write it or say it in a sentence, keep them separate. For example: "The doctor explained that a tongue tie can affect how the tongue moves."

In everyday speech, "tongue tie" simply refers to a condition where the tissue under the tongue is too tight, limiting how much the tongue can move. It's also sometimes used as a figure of speech to mean someone is shy or can't speak freely — but medically, it refers to the actual physical restriction.

Several words use this Greek root for tongue: glossitis (inflammation of the tongue), glossectomy (surgical removal of the tongue), and macroglossia (an abnormally large tongue). Once you know "glossia" means tongue, these terms become easier to understand.