noun

diaeresis

dy-ERR-ih-sis

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Diaeresis (noun) means In linguistics, the splitting of what would normally be one syllable, especially a diphthong, into two separate syllables, or a gap between vowel sounds in neighbouring syllables with no consonant between them. Example: “Poets sometimes rely on diaeresis to stretch a diphthong into two beats for the metre.”

noun

linguistics In linguistics, the splitting of what would normally be one syllable, especially a diphthong, into two separate syllables, or a gap between vowel sounds in neighbouring syllables with no consonant between them.

"Poets sometimes rely on diaeresis to stretch a diphthong into two beats for the metre."

"Linguists use diaeresis to describe vowels that are pronounced in separate syllables rather than blended together."

"The diaeresis between the two vowels means neither sound is swallowed into the other."

orthography The mark of two dots placed over a vowel, usually the second of two vowels in a row, to show that it is pronounced as its own syllable.

"The word naïve is sometimes written with a diaeresis over the i."

"Some style guides still print coöperate with a diaeresis to keep the two vowels apart."

"A diaeresis looks identical to an umlaut but marks a different thing."

How to use diaeresis

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDiaeresis is the two dots over a vowel that tell you to pronounce it as its own syllable, or the linguistic term for that kind of split.

When to use it

Diaeresis is a fairly technical or literary term, and the mark itself is now often left out in ordinary English writing.

Memory tip

If you see two dots over a vowel in a word like naïve, that is a diaeresis telling you to sound the vowels separately, not an umlaut changing the vowel's sound.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

umlaut →

Common pairings

diaeresis over the i mark with a diaeresis a diaeresis between two vowels use a diaeresis

Vocabulary Flow

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “diaeresis” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Poets sometimes rely on _____ to stretch a diphthong into two beats for the metre.

Etymology

Diaeresis was taken directly into English from Late Latin diaeresis, itself from Ancient Greek dĭaíresĭs, meaning a distribution or division, and specifically the splitting of a diphthong into two syllables. That Greek noun comes from the verb dĭairéō, to divide or distinguish, built from a prefix meaning across or in different directions plus a root meaning to grasp or take.

Origin: Ancient Greek, via Late Latin

Synonyms

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trema dieresis

Antonyms

synaeresis

Rhymes for diaeresis

thesis nemesis genesis exegesis anamnesis apheresis synthesis antithesis epenthesis hypothesis prosthesis abiogenesis

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Frequently asked questions

What does diaeresis mean?

It is the linguistic term for splitting a diphthong or vowel pair into two separate syllables, and also the name of the two-dot mark used to show this in writing.

What is the difference between a diaeresis and an umlaut?

A diaeresis shows that two neighbouring vowel letters are pronounced as separate syllables, while an umlaut changes the sound of a single vowel letter, as in German schon versus schön; the two marks look alike but do different jobs, though some people loosely call a diaeresis an umlaut.

How is a diaeresis used in a word like naïve?

The two dots sit over the second vowel to show it starts a new syllable rather than blending with the one before it, though many English writers now simply drop the mark and write naive.

What is the meaning of diaeresis?

"diaeresis" (noun) means in linguistics, the splitting of what would normally be one syllable, especially a diphthong, into two separate syllables, or a gap between vowel sounds in neighbouring syllables with no consonant between them.