accent definition | Dictionary.com

ac⋅cent

[n. ak-sent; v. ak-sent, ak-sent]

–noun

1.	prominence of a syllable in terms of differential loudness, or of pitch, or length, or of a combination of these.

2.	degree of prominence of a syllable within a word and sometimes of a word within a phrase: primary accent; secondary accent.

3.	a mark indicating stress (as (ʹ, ʹ), or (ˈ, ˌ), or (′, ″)), vowel quality (as French grave `, acute ´, circumflex ^), form (as French la “the” versus là “there”), or pitch.

4.	any similar mark.

Prosody.

a.	regularly recurring stress.

b.	a mark indicating stress or some other distinction in pronunciation or value.

6.	a musical tone or pattern of pitch inherent in a particular language either as a feature essential to the identification of a vowel or a syllable or to the general acoustic character of the language. Compare tone (def. 7).

Often, accents.

a.	the unique speech patterns, inflections, choice of words, etc., that identify a particular individual: We recognized his accents immediately. She corrected me in her usual mild accents.

b.	the distinctive style or tone characteristic of an author, composer, etc.: the unmistakably Brahmsian accents of the sonata; She recognized the familiar accents of Robert Frost in the poem.

8.	a mode of pronunciation, as pitch or tone, emphasis pattern, or intonation, characteristic of or peculiar to the speech of a particular person, group, or locality: French accent; Southern accent. Compare tone (def. 5).

9.	such a mode of pronunciation recognized as being of foreign origin: He still speaks with an accent.

10.

Music.

a.	a stress or emphasis given to certain notes.

b.	a mark noting this.

c.	stress or emphasis regularly recurring as a feature of rhythm.

11.

Mathematics.

a.	a symbol used to distinguish similar quantities that differ in value, as in b′, b″, b‴ (called b prime, b second or b double prime, b third or b triple prime, respectively).

b.	a symbol used to indicate a particular unit of measure, as feet (′) or inches (″), minutes (′) or seconds (″).

c.	a symbol used to indicate the order of a derivative of a function in calculus, as f′ (called f prime) is the first derivative of a function f.

12.	words or tones expressive of some emotion.

13.	accents, words; language; speech: He spoke in accents bold.

14.	distinctive character or tone: an accent of whining complaint.

15.	special attention, stress, or emphasis: an accent on accuracy.

16.	a detail that is emphasized by contrasting with its surroundings: a room decorated in navy blue with two red vases as accents.

17.	a distinctive but subordinate pattern, motif, color, flavor, or the like: The salad dressing had an accent of garlic.

–verb (used with object)

18.	to pronounce with prominence (a syllable within a word or a word within a phrase): to accent the first syllable of “into”; to accent the first word of “White House.”

19.	to mark with a written accent or accents.

20.	to give emphasis or prominence to; accentuate.

Origin:
1520–30; < L accentus speaking tone, equiv. to ac- ac- + -centus, comb. form of cantus song (see canto ); trans. of Gk prosōidía prosody

Related forms:

ac⋅cent⋅less, adjective

ac⋅cen⋅tu⋅a⋅ble [ak-sen-choo-uh-buh

, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ac·cent (āk'sěnt')

The relative prominence of a particular syllable of a word by greater intensity or by variation or modulation of pitch or tone.
Vocal prominence or emphasis given to a particular syllable, word, or phrase.
A characteristic pronunciation, especially:
1. One determined by the regional or social background of the speaker.
2. One determined by the phonetic habits of the speaker's native language carried over to his or her use of another language.
3. Emphasis or prominence given to a note or chord, as by an increase in volume or extended duration.
4. A mark representing this.
5. A mark used as a superscript to distinguish among variables represented by the same symbol.
6. A mark used as a superscript to indicate the first derivative of a variable.
7. A distinctive feature or quality, such as a feature that accentuates, contrasts with, or complements a decorative style.
8. Something that accentuates or contrasts something else, as a touch of color that makes the features of an image stand out.
A mark or symbol used in the printing and writing of certain languages to indicate the vocal quality to be given to a particular letter: an acute accent.
A mark or symbol used in printing and writing to indicate the stressed syllables of a spoken word.
Rhythmically significant stress in a line of verse.
Music
1. Emphasis or prominence given to a note or chord, as by an increase in volume or extended duration.
2. A mark representing this.
3. A mark used as a superscript to distinguish among variables represented by the same symbol.
4. A mark used as a superscript to indicate the first derivative of a variable.
5. A distinctive feature or quality, such as a feature that accentuates, contrasts with, or complements a decorative style.
6. Something that accentuates or contrasts something else, as a touch of color that makes the features of an image stand out.
Mathematics
1. A mark used as a superscript to distinguish among variables represented by the same symbol.
2. A mark used as a superscript to indicate the first derivative of a variable.
3. A distinctive feature or quality, such as a feature that accentuates, contrasts with, or complements a decorative style.
4. Something that accentuates or contrasts something else, as a touch of color that makes the features of an image stand out.
A mark or one of several marks used as a superscript to indicate a unit, such as feet (') and inches (") in linear measurement.
1. A distinctive feature or quality, such as a feature that accentuates, contrasts with, or complements a decorative style.
2. Something that accentuates or contrasts something else, as a touch of color that makes the features of an image stand out.
Particular importance or interest; emphasis: The accent is on comfort. See Synonyms at emphasis.

tr.v. (āk'sěnt', āk-sěnt') ac·cent·ed, ac·cent·ing, ac·cents

To stress or emphasize the pronunciation of.
To mark with a printed accent.
To focus attention on; accentuate: a program that accents leadership development.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin accentus, accentuation : ad-, ad- + cantus, song (from canere, to sing; see kan- in Indo-European roots).]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Accent

Ac"cent`\, n. [F. accent, L. accentus; ad + cantus a singing, canere to sing. See Cant.]

1. A superior force of voice or of articulative effort upon some particular syllable of a word or a phrase, distinguishing it from the others.

Note: Many English words have two accents, the primary and the secondary; the primary being uttered with a greater stress of voice than the secondary; as in as'pira"tion, where the chief stress is on the third syllable, and a slighter stress on the first. Some words, as an'tiap'o-plec"tic, in-com'pre-hen'si-bil"i-ty, have two secondary accents. See Guide to Pron., [th][th] 30-46.

2. A mark or character used in writing, and serving to regulate the pronunciation; esp.: (a) a mark to indicate the nature and place of the spoken accent; (b) a mark to indicate the quality of sound of the vowel marked; as, the French accents.

Note: In the ancient Greek the acute accent (') meant a raised tone or pitch, the grave (`), the level tone or simply the negation of accent, the circumflex ( ~ or ^) a tone raised and then depressed. In works on elocution, the first is often used to denote the rising inflection of the voice; the second, the falling inflection; and the third (^), the compound or waving inflection. In dictionaries, spelling books, and the like, the acute accent is used to designate the syllable which receives the chief stress of voice.

3. Modulation of the voice in speaking; manner of speaking or pronouncing; peculiar or characteristic modification of the voice; tone; as, a foreign accent; a French or a German accent. "Beguiled you in a plain accent." --Shak. "A perfect accent." --Thackeray.

The tender accent of a woman's cry. --Prior.

4. A word; a significant tone; (pl.) expressions in general; speech.

Winds! on your wings to Heaven her accents bear, Such words as Heaven alone is fit to hear. --Dryden.

5. (Pros.) Stress laid on certain syllables of a verse.

6. (Mus.) (a) A regularly recurring stress upon the tone to mark the beginning, and, more feebly, the third part of the measure. (b) A special emphasis of a tone, even in the weaker part of the measure. (c) The rhythmical accent, which marks phrases and sections of a period. (d) The expressive emphasis and shading of a passage. --J. S. Dwight.

7. (Math.) (a) A mark placed at the right hand of a letter, and a little above it, to distinguish magnitudes of a similar kind expressed by the same letter, but differing in value, as y', y[sec]. (b) (Trigon.) A mark at the right hand of a number, indicating minutes of a degree, seconds, etc.; as, 12'27[sec], i. e., twelve minutes twenty seven seconds. (c) (Engin.) A mark used to denote feet and inches; as, 6' 10[sec] is six feet ten inches.

Accent

Ac*cent"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Accented; p. pr. & vb. n. Accenting.] [OF. accenter, F. accentuer.]

1. To express the accent of (either by the voice or by a mark); to utter or to mark with accent.

2. To mark emphatically; to emphasize.

Language Translation for : accent

Spanish: acento,

German: die Betonung,

Japanese: アクセント

More Translations »

accent

1538, "particular mode of pronunciation," from M.Fr. accent, from O.Fr. acent, from L. accentus "song added to speech," from ad- "to" + cantus "a singing," pp. of canere "to sing" (see chant). Loan-translation of Gk. prosoidia, from pros- "to" + oide "song," which apparently described the pitch scheme in Gk. verse. The decorating sense of "something that emphasizes or highlights" is from 1972. The verb meaning "to pronounce with accent or stress" is first recorded 1530.

Accent language
A very high level interpreted language from CaseWare, Inc. with strings and tables. It is strongly typed and has remote function calls.
(1994-11-08)

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