singultus: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowFormal, Technical (Medical), Literary
Quick answer
What does “singultus” mean?
An involuntary spasm of the diaphragm and respiratory organs, followed by a sudden closure of the glottis, producing a characteristic sound.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An involuntary spasm of the diaphragm and respiratory organs, followed by a sudden closure of the glottis, producing a characteristic sound; a hiccup or hiccough.
In technical medical contexts, it specifically refers to the medical term for persistent or intractable hiccups. It can also be used in a more literary or humorous sense to describe any involuntary, repetitive sound.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. It is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Conveys a sense of technical precision (medical) or deliberate, sometimes pompous, formality (literary/humorous).
Frequency
Extremely rare in everyday speech in both the UK and US. Used almost exclusively by medical professionals or in specialized writing.
Grammar
How to Use “singultus” in a Sentence
Patient presented with [singultus].The [singultus] was refractory to treatment.To suffer from [singultus].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “singultus” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The patient began to singult.
- He was singulting uncontrollably.
American English
- The patient started to singult.
- She was singulting for hours.
adjective
British English
- A singultant patient was admitted.
- He exhibited singultous movements.
American English
- A singultant condition was noted.
- The report described singultous episodes.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in medical research papers and clinical case studies.
Everyday
Virtually never used; 'hiccups' is universal.
Technical
Standard term in medical diagnosis and neurology for the specific condition.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “singultus”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “singultus”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “singultus”
- Mispronouncing it as /ˈsɪŋ.ɡəl.təs/ (like 'single' + 'tus').
- Using it as a plural (e.g., 'I have the singultus' is correct, not 'I have singultuses').
- Spelling it as 'singultous'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in essence. However, in modern English, it is almost exclusively used in formal medical contexts to describe persistent or clinically significant hiccups, not the common, brief kind.
You can, but it will sound very strange, overly formal, and possibly pretentious. The word 'hiccups' is always the correct choice for everyday use.
The word is typically treated as a singular, uncountable noun in medical contexts (e.g., 'suffering from singultus'). The Latin plural is 'singultūs', but it is rarely used in English.
Yes. The verb is 'to singult' (to hiccup), and the adjective can be 'singultant' or 'singultous', though these are even rarer than the noun.
An involuntary spasm of the diaphragm and respiratory organs, followed by a sudden closure of the glottis, producing a characteristic sound.
Singultus is usually formal, technical (medical), literary in register.
Singultus: in British English it is pronounced /sɪŋˈɡʌl.təs/, and in American English it is pronounced /sɪŋˈɡʌl.təs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A case of the singultus”
- “Struck by singultus”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of SINGing with an ULTra-Sudden stop = SING-ULT-US, like a hiccup interrupting a song.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A MACHINE WITH GLITCHES (a technical malfunction).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'singultus' be MOST appropriately used?