Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
cedilha
Diacritical mark
/seˈdiʎɐ/
Definition
A diacritical mark used in Portuguese to indicate that the letter ‘c’ should be pronounced as ‘s’.
Examples
- Praça (square)
- Coçar (to scratch)
- Fança (to fence)
- Maçã (apple)
Meaning
The cedilha is placed below the letter ‘c’ (ç) and modifies its pronunciation in words, primarily before ‘a’, ‘o’, or ‘u’. This alteration helps to signal the correct soft pronunciation, distinguishing it from the hard ‘k’ sound typically associated with the unmodified ‘c’.
Synonyms
- None