🔊 Pronunciation: /ˌæd.əˈnɔɪ.dəl/
(AD-uh-noy-dəl)
🗣️ Part of Speech: Adjective
Definition:
Adenoidal refers to a nasal-sounding voice, often caused by blocked or enlarged adenoids, which are tissues located behind the nose.
It can also describe someone who speaks in a tone that sounds congested or pinched, as if they’re speaking through the nose.
Examples:
- "He spoke in a high, adenoidal voice that made him hard to understand."
- "The comedian exaggerated an adenoidal tone for comic effect."
- "Her adenoidal speech was a result of chronic sinus issues."
(His speech sounded nasal or congested.)
(He mimicked a nasal voice to be funny.)
(Medical conditions affected the sound of her voice.)
🧠 Bonus Tip:
The word adenoidal originally relates to the adenoids, which are part of the immune system. When they’re enlarged, they can block airflow through the nose, leading to nasal speech.
💡 Think of it like:
- Talking while holding your nose or when you have a cold, that’s an adenoidal sound.
Adenoidal speech is often used in fiction to characterize someone as awkward, nerdy, or unwell, but it’s also a real medical condition in many children.