“accent”

Definitions

• noun

  distinctive manner of oral expression

  Synonyms: speech pattern, alexandrine, accents, accentuate, accentuation, amphibrach, amphimacer, anacrusis, anapest, antispast, arsis, articulation

  • Example:“He couldn't suppress his contemptuous accent.”
  • Example:“She had a very clear speech pattern.”

• noun

  special importance or significance

  Synonyms: emphasis

  • Example:“The red light gave the central figure increased emphasis.”
  • Example:“The room was decorated in shades of grey with distinctive red accents.”

• noun

  the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people

  Synonyms: dialect, idiom

  • Example:“The immigrants spoke an odd dialect of English.”
  • Example:“He has a strong German accent.”

• noun

  the relative prominence of a syllable or musical note (especially with regard to stress or pitch)

  Synonyms: stress, emphasis

  • Example:“He put the stress on the wrong syllable.”

• noun

  a diacritical mark used to indicate stress or placed above a vowel to indicate a special pronunciation

  Synonyms: accent mark

• verb

  to stress, single out as important

  Synonyms: stress, emphasize, emphasise, punctuate, accentuate

  • Example:“Dr. Jones emphasizes exercise in addition to a change in diet.”