diaeresis

noun di·aer·e·sis \dī-ˈer-ə-səs, British also -ˈir-\

plural di·aer·e·ses\-ˌsēz\

Definition of DIAERESIS

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

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

— di·ae·ret·ic \ˌdī-ə-ˈre-tik\ adjective

See diaeresis defined for kids

di·aer·e·sis or di·er·e·sis \dī-ˈer-ə-səs, British also -ˈir-\

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

First Known Use: circa 1611

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