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
Examples of diaeresis in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Marc Saltzman, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'diaeresis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near diaeresis
Cite this Entry
“Diaeresis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diaeresis. Accessed 27 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share