accent
AK-suhnt
Accent (noun) means a distinctive way of pronouncing a language, typical of a region, country, or social group. Example: “Visitors from the north often notice his strong accent as soon as he speaks.”
noun
1
A distinctive way of pronouncing a language, typical of a region, country, or social group.
"Visitors from the north often notice his strong accent as soon as he speaks."
"She still has a slight French accent after years of living abroad."
"He could immediately tell from her accent that she was from Yorkshire."
2
A mark placed over a letter to show pronunciation or stress.
"In Spanish, an accent on a vowel can change the meaning of a word."
"The keyboard has a key for typing an accent above a letter."
"Don't forget the accent over the "e" in café."
3
A detail that stands out and adds emphasis or contrast, especially in design.
"A red cushion makes a lovely accent on the plain grey sofa."
"The designer added a bright yellow door as an accent against the white walls."
"The room used gold as an accent color against the gray walls."
verb
1
To emphasize or draw attention to something.
"A thin silver belt accents her simple black dress."
"The chef used fresh herbs to accent the flavour of the soup."
"The scarf accents the blue in her eyes nicely."
How to use accent
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost often refers to a regional or foreign way of pronouncing words, but also covers pronunciation marks and design highlights.
Common pairings
a strong accent
accent mark
accent color
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Word forms
- Plural
- accents
- Third person singular
- accents
- Past tense
- accented
Fill the gap
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Visitors from the north often notice his strong _____ as soon as he speaks.
Etymology
From Latin accentus, "song added to speech," from ad- ("to") plus canere ("to sing") — literally a "singing toward" a word, referring to spoken stress.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “accent” mean?
The word “accent” means a distinctive way of pronouncing a language, typical of a region, country, or social group. In plain terms, most often refers to a regional or foreign way of pronouncing words, but also covers pronunciation marks and design highlights.
How do you pronounce “accent”?
“Accent” is pronounced AK-suhnt (/ˈæk.sɛnt/ in IPA).
How do you use “accent” in a sentence?
Here is “accent” used in a sentence: “She still has a slight French accent after years of living abroad.”
What part of speech is “accent”?
Depending on how it is used, “accent” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “accent” come from?
The word “accent” comes from Latin. From Latin accentus, "song added to speech," from ad- ("to") plus canere ("to sing") — literally a "singing toward" a word, referring to spoken stress.
Is “accent” a common word?
“Accent” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “accent” have?
“Accent” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a distinctive way of pronouncing a language, typical of a region, country, or social group.
What is the difference between "accent" and "dialect"?
An "accent" is a distinctive way of pronouncing a language, typical of a region, country, or social group, so it concerns sound only. A "dialect" includes not just pronunciation but also distinctive vocabulary and grammar. An accent is part of a dialect, but a dialect covers more than pronunciation.
What is the difference between an "accent" and pronunciation?
"Pronunciation" is how any individual word or sound is spoken, and it can be judged correct or incorrect word by word. An "accent" is the overall pattern of pronunciation that marks a speaker as belonging to a region or group. Everyone has an accent, but pronunciation is assessed at the level of single words.
What is the difference between an accent mark and a diacritic?
An "accent" in writing is a mark placed over a letter to show pronunciation or stress, as in "café" or "résumé." "Diacritic" is the broader technical term for any such mark added to a letter, including accents, tildes, and cedillas. Accent marks are one type of diacritic.
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