diaeresis

noun

di·aer·e·sis dī-ˈer-ə-səs

British also -ˈir-

variants or dieresis

plural diaereses dī-ˈer-ə-ˌsēz

British also -ˈir-

1

: a mark ¨ placed over a vowel to indicate that the vowel is pronounced in a separate syllable (as in naïve or Brontë) compare umlaut

2

: the break in a verse caused by the coincidence of the end of a foot with the end of a word

diaeretic

ˌdī-ə-ˈre-tik

adjective

Examples of diaeresis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Examples include Spanish or French words like jalapeño (tilde), fiancé (acute), très (accent grave), Noël (diaeresis), façade (cedilla) or hôpital (circumflex). —

Marc Saltzman, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin diaeresis, from Greek diairesis, literally, division, from diairein to divide, from dia- + hairein to take

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of diaeresis was circa 1611

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Diaeresis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diaeresis. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

diaeresis

noun

di·aer·e·sis

variants or dieresis

dī-ˈer-ə-səs

plural diaereses or diereses

-ˈer-ə-ˌsēz

: a mark ¨ placed over a vowel to show that it is pronounced in a separate syllable (as in naïve or Brontë)

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