Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

circumflex

noun

/ˈsɜrkəmˌflɛks/

Definition

A diacritical mark (^) placed over a vowel, indicating a specific pronunciation or alteration of sound.

Examples

The word “très” in French contains a circumflex over the ‘e’.
In the word “hȋle”, the circumflex indicates a pronunciation that is different from a similar word without the mark.

Meaning

The circumflex is often used in languages like French to indicate a change in vowel sound or to denote the historical presence of a letter that has since been dropped.