The quick answer
There are two widely accepted pronunciations of tinnitus — both are correct.
Even the American Tinnitus Association can’t pick one — for the record, they use “ti-NIGHT-us.”
Remember that song “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off?” from the 1937 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie Shall We Dance?
You know… the one that plays on how accents and regional dialects can affect the pronunciations of words like “either,” “neither” and “tomato.” Still no idea? Check out the video above.
Funny thing, the pronunciation of “tinnitus” is just like that song. Depending upon where you’re from and even on your profession, you may say tinnitus differently than someone else. The British and healthcare professional pronunciation tends to sound like “TIN-ih-tus.” While the American and layperson pronunciation often sounds like “ti-night-tus” or “tih-NYE-tus.” Tap Hear It above to listen to each.
So which one is right?
Neither, either. Even the American Tinnitus Association (ATA) can’t decide. “Both pronunciations are correct,” they say. But, for the record, they use “ti-NIGHT-us.”
Whichever pronunciation sounds right to you, the ringing, buzzing, whistling, and whooshing in your ears probably doesn’t, and we want to help.
Pronunciation FAQs
Both pronunciations are considered correct. The more common medical pronunciation is TIN-ih-tus (rhymes with "tin"), but tih-NIGHT-us (rhymes with "night") is also widely accepted by audiologists and ENTs.
Most audiologists and ENTs use TIN-ih-tus, though both pronunciations are medically accepted.
There is no single "correct" pronunciation. TIN-ih-tus is more common in clinical settings, while tih-NIGHT-us is common in everyday speech. Both are listed in medical dictionaries.
However you say it
That sounds good with any accent.
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