accent

Meaning

Noun

1. 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. Emphasis or importance in general.
3. 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. Modulation of the voice in speaking; the manner of speaking or pronouncing; a peculiar or characteristic modification of the voice, expressing emotion; tone.
5. (informal) 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. 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. 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. A word; a significant tone or sound.
9. Expressions in general; speech.
10. Stress laid on certain syllables of a verse.
11. A regularly recurring stress upon the tone to mark the beginning, and, more feebly, the third part of the measure.
12. A special emphasis of a tone, even in the weaker part of the measure.
13. A mark used to represent this special emphasis.
14. The rhythmical accent, which marks phrases and sections of a period.
15. A prime symbol.
16. 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. A very small gemstone set into a piece of jewellery.
18. Utterance.

Verb

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

Concepts

accent

stress

emphasis

accentuate

dialect

pronunciation

emphasize

tone

intonation

modulation

punctuate

highlight

weight

tune

underline

note

accentuation

speech pattern

emphasise

way of speaking

inflection

enunciation

accent mark

idiom

articulation

pitch

diacritical mark

voice

language

bombast

call attention to

italicize

observe

pinpoint

remark

diacritic mark

rhythm

attention

eye

heed

notice

tongue

intone

key

ictus

strain

ton

tonality

tuna

nuance

D

tone of voice

stress mark

highlighting

avoirdupois

bob

dumbbell

heaviness

heft

press

printing shop

sinker

weightiness

concentrate on

set off

topicalize

focus

pitch accent

tonic accent

topicalization

knot in wood

emphasizing

underlining

mark

put on airs

utterance

colloquialism

vernacular

speech

linguistic group

brogue

taste

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈak.sənt/

Etymology

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.