Accent
A distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
nounAccent
A distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
nounImagine This
People from Texas usually speak with a distinctive "Southern" accent.
Sounds Like
AK-sent
Looks Like
A single word; visually resembles the two-word phrase 'a cent'.
Remember This
Remember that 'accent' refers to pronunciation only and is not the same as dialect, which covers vocabulary and grammar.
Other Forms
Connect With
dialect, pronunciation, emphasis, stress, intonation, articulation
Note
In SAT contexts, accent often means pronunciation or emphasis on a syllable. Do not confuse with accent marks in writing (diacritics) which serve a different function.
Study Deeper
- Her American accent made it hard for some listeners to understand at first.
- The director asked him to accent the word 'not' to emphasize sarcasm.
From Old French accent, from Latin accentus meaning 'tone, cadence'; from ad- 'toward' + cantus 'song'.
A CENT: Place a cent on a syllable to mark its importance; an accent highlights the center of a word's meaning.
Next Word
Continue in alphabetical order.
Try a Random Word
Pick any word below to jump in.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Abasement
nounThe act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling
Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).
Adversary
nounAn opponent; a foe; an enemy.