Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
diacritic
Noun
/ˌdaɪəˈkrɪtɪk/
Definition
A mark added to a letter that alters its pronunciation or distinguishes it from similar letters.
Examples
- The acute accent in the word ‘café’ is a diacritic.
- In Spanish, the tilde over the ‘n’ in ‘niño’ is a diacritic that changes its pronunciation.
- Some languages use diacritics to indicate vowel length or tone.
Meaning
Diacritics are often used in various languages to indicate specific phonetic values or to modify the way a letter is pronounced.
Synonyms
- Accent
- Mark
- Modifier
