accent

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) A higher-pitched or stronger (louder or longer) articulation of a particular syllable of a word or phrase in order to distinguish it from the others or to emphasize it.
2. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) Emphasis or importance in general.
3. (countable, uncountable) A mark or character used in writing, in order to indicate the place of the spoken accent, or to indicate the nature or quality of the vowel marked.
4. (countable, uncountable) Modulation of the voice in speaking; the manner of speaking or pronouncing; a peculiar or characteristic modification of the voice, expressing emotion; tone.
5. (countable, uncountable) The distinctive manner of pronouncing a language associated with a particular region, social group, etc., whether of a native speaker or a foreign speaker; the phonetic and phonological aspects of a dialect.
6. (countable, informal, proscribed, sometimes, uncountable) The distinctive manner of pronouncing a language associated with a particular region, social group, etc., whether of a native speaker or a foreign speaker; the phonetic and phonological aspects of a dialect.
7. (countable, uncountable) The distinctive manner of pronouncing a language associated with a particular region, social group, etc., whether of a native speaker or a foreign speaker; the phonetic and phonological aspects of a dialect.
8. (countable, uncountable) A word; a significant tone or sound.
9. (countable, plural, plural-only, uncountable, usually) Expressions in general; speech.
10. (countable, uncountable) Stress laid on certain syllables of a verse.
11. (countable, uncountable) A regularly recurring stress upon the tone to mark the beginning, and, more feebly, the third part of the measure.
12. (countable, uncountable) A special emphasis of a tone, even in the weaker part of the measure.
13. (countable, uncountable) A mark used to represent this special emphasis.
14. (countable, uncountable) The rhythmical accent, which marks phrases and sections of a period.
15. (countable, uncountable) A prime symbol.
16. (countable, uncountable) Emphasis laid on a part of an artistic design or composition; an emphasized detail, in particular a detail in sharp contrast to its surroundings.
17. (countable, uncountable) A very small gemstone set into a piece of jewellery.
18. (archaic, countable, uncountable) Utterance.

Verb

1. (transitive) To express the accent of vocally; to utter with accent.
2. (transitive) To mark emphatically; to emphasize; to accentuate; to make prominent.
3. (transitive) To mark with written accents.

Synonyms

stress

emphasis

accentuate

dialect

pronunciation

emphasize

tone

intonation

modulation

punctuate

tune

highlight

weight

speech pattern

note

accentuation

underline

way of speaking

emphasise

idiom

diacritical mark

articulation

inflection

language

pitch

accent mark

enunciation

voice

pitch accent

press

put on airs

remark

rhythm

set off

sinker

speech

strain

stress mark

taste

ton

tonality

tongue

👅

tonic accent

tuna

underlining

utterance

vernacular

weightiness

D

knot in wood

Translations

accent

accento

accent

acento

Akzent

Betonung

acento

accent

klemtoon

accentuer

souligner

beklemtonen

insistance

τόνος

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈak.sənt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: accent

In summary

From Middle English accent, from Medieval Latin accentus and Old French accent, acent, both from Latin accentus, past participle of accinō (“sing to, sing along”). The word accent had been borrowed into Old English already, but was lost and reborrowed in Middle English.