Definition of accent - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
speechdistinctive way of pronouncing words
- Her French accent was noticeable when she spoke English..
2.
speechstress on a syllable or musical note
- The accent falls on the first syllable.
3.
styleemphasis in speech, writing, or design
- The accent in the painting draws the eye.
4.
languagemark indicating pronunciation or stress
- The word 'café' has an accent on the 'e'.
5.
jewelrysmall gemstone in jewelry
- The ring features a diamond accent.
Verb
1.
speechemphasize a word or syllable in speech
- She accents the first syllable of her name.
2.
emphasishighlight or emphasize a feature
- The designer accents the room with bright colors.
3.
musicemphasize a note in music
- The composer accents the first note of each measure.
4.
writingmark a letter with a diacritical mark
- Accent the 'e' in 'café' when writing.
Images of accent

small gemstone in jewelry
Expressions with accent
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
speak without the accent of one's native language
After years in the US, he finally lost his accent.
emphasize the good aspects of something
In tough times, it's important to accent the positive to stay motivated.
emphasize or highlight something
In his speech, he put the accent on the need for unity.
mark on a letter showing how to say or understand it
The accent mark in 'résumé' changes its pronunciation.
reveal someone's origin through their accent
His speech betrayed his accent as being from the south.
wall with unique decor to draw attention
The accent wall features a large mural.
video where people show their regional English accents
She posted an accent tag to show her Yorkshire accent.
English speech pattern that sounds partly American and partly British
After years abroad, he developed a transatlantic accent.
diacritical mark placed above a vowel to indicate stress or pitch
In Spanish, the word 'café' has an acute accent on the final 'e'..
diacritical mark placed over a vowel
The word 'hôtel' has a circumflex accent.
use of pitch to make a syllable or word stand out
Japanese uses pitch accent to distinguish words.
weaker stress than primary but stronger than unstressed
In 'banana', the secondary accent is on the first syllable.
rare mark with two acute accents used in some languages
The double acute accent appears in Hungarian words.
diacritic mark used to indicate vowel pronunciation
The word 'père' in French uses a grave accent.
main stress on a syllable in pronunciation
In 'photograph,' the primary accent is on the first syllable..
emphasis on words to convey meaning
The speaker used a rhetorical accent to persuade the audience.
syllable in a word with most stress
In 'banana', the tonic accent is on the second syllable.
distribution of stresses in a word
The word accent in 'banana' falls on the second syllable.
special importance is given to something
In this course, the accent is on clear writing.
Origin of accent
Latin, accentus (song added to speech)
Terms with accent included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
ballroom dance
dance in triple time with a strong accent on the first beat
pronunciation
make the r sound vibrate, sometimes to mimic an accent
speech
strongly regional in accent
language
accent mark placed above a vowel to show pronunciation
accent
strong accent, especially Irish or Scottish
language
cheerful or melodious accent when speaking
sociolinguistics
accent associated with the upper class
accent speech
use a voice with a sharp nasal sound
language
trace of a regional accent in voice
accent
strong 'r' sound in regional accents
accent
sharp, distinct pronunciation typical of upper class British English
language
speak with a regional or foreign accent
accent mark
mark over vowel showing stress
language
strong and noticeable accent
language
english spoken with a Māori accent
linguistics
lack of stress or accent on a syllable
linguistics
word with accent on second last syllable
linguistics
having no accent on the last syllable
language
regional accent and dialect from England's West Midlands area
speech pattern
accent spoken in Birmingham UK
linguistics
marked with a slanted accent symbol over a vowel
language
use of cockney dialect or accent
accent
denoting a word affecting the preceding word's accent
music
play two quick drum hits close together for a single accent
Examples of accent in a sentence
She has a slight accent when speaking Spanish. Put the accent on the second beat. Her name has an accent on the final syllable. She used red as an accent in the logo. His speech placed an accent on safety. She placed an accent on the syllable to emphasize it.
In French, many words have an accent mark. She wore a necklace with a sapphire accent. The bracelet had emerald accents along its length. He accents the second syllable when speaking. In French, you must accent the last syllable. She accents her outfit with a bold necklace. The chef accents the dish with a sprinkle of herbs. The pianist accents the melody beautifully. In this piece, accenting the rhythm is crucial. Remember to accent the 'a' in 'façade'. You should accent the 'i' in 'naïve'.
View all translations of accent
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:accent, accentuer, ...
- German:Akzent, betonen, ...
- Italian:accento, enfatizzare, ...
- Spanish:acento, acentuar, ...
- Portuguese:sotaque, acentuar, ...
- Chinese:口音, 重读, ...
- Japanese:アクセント, 強調する, ...
- Arabic:لَكْنَة, شَدَّدَ, ...
- Hebrew:מִבְטָא, לְהַטְעִים, ...
- Russian:произношение, подчёркивать, ...
- Ukrainian:вимова, наголошувати, ...
- Hindi:लहजा, जोर देना, ...
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