accent
pronunciation
How to pronounce accent in British English:
UK [ˈæksent; ˈæksənt]
How to pronounce accent in American English:
US [ ˈæksent,ˈæksənt]
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- Noun:
- distinctive manner of oral expression
- special importance or significance
- the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people
- the relative prominence of a syllable or musical note (especially with regard to stress or pitch)
- a diacritical mark used to indicate stress or placed above a vowel to indicate a special pronunciation
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- Verb:
- to stress, single out as important
- put stress on; utter with an accent
Word Origin
- accent
- accent: [14] Accent was originally a loantranslation from Greek into Latin (a loantranslation is when each constituent of a compound in one language is translated into its equivalent in another, and then reassembled into a new compound). Greek prosōidíā (whence English prosody) was formed from pros ‘to’ and ōidé ‘song’ (whence English ode); these elements were translated into Latin ad ‘to’ and cantus ‘song’ (whence English chant, cant, cantata, canticle), giving accentus.The notion underlying this combination of ‘to’ and ‘song’ was of a song added to speech – that is, the intonation of spoken language. The sense of a particular mode of pronunciation did not arise in English until the 16th century.=> cant, cantata, canticle, chant
- accent (n.)
- late 14c., "particular mode of pronunciation," from Middle French accent, from Old French acent (13c.), from Latin accentus "song added to speech," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + cantus "a singing," past participle of canere "to sing" (see chant (v.)). Loan-translation of Greek prosoidia, from pros- "to" + oide "song," which apparently described the pitch scheme in Greek verse. The decorating sense of "something that emphasizes or highlights" is from 1972.
- accent (v.)
- "to pronounce with accent or stress," 1520s, from Middle French accenter, from Old French acenter, from acent (see accent (n.)). Related: Accented; accenting.
Synonym
Example
- 1. Her accent is the twang of the not-quiteessex girl .
- 2. The third color is the accent color .
- 3. Always use the correct accent mark s in your text .
- 4. Born and raised in pre-castro havana , cano still has a noticeable cuban accent .
- 5. Though adele speaks with a strong london accent , her singing voice sounds more american than british .