accent mark

/ˈæksɛnt ˌmɑrk/

/ˈæksɛnt mɑk/

Other forms: accent marks

An accent mark is a symbol used in pronunciations and in musical notation to indicate which syllables or notes to stress, or emphasize. An accent mark could also be a special symbol over or under a letter to indicate a special pronunciation: e.g., résumé.

Most dictionary pronunciation guides today place an accent mark before the syllable to be stressed. For example, the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) places a high vertical line, like a raised apostrophe, before the syllable with the strongest emphasis, and a low vertical line, like a lowered comma, before a syllable that is stressed, but less strongly: e.g., ˈdændɪˌlaɪən (the IPA pronunciation for dandelion). In music, a different accent mark (>) shows that a note or chord should be emphasized.

Definitions of accent mark

1. noun

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

   types:

   stress mark

   a mark indicating the stress on a syllable

   acute, acute accent, ague

   a mark (') placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation

   grave, grave accent

   a mark (`) placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation

   type of:

   diacritic, diacritical mark

   a mark added to a letter to indicate a special pronunciation
2. noun

   (music) a symbol (>) above or below a note or chord, indicating that it is to be emphasized