You searched for: “accent”
accent (AK sent")
1. A stress on a syllable to aid in the pronunciation of words; stress, emphasis: "The word 'woman' has its accent on the first syllable."
2. Pronunciation, enunciation, or modulation of speech: "He speaks with a French accent."
3. A hint, touch, detail; trimming: "The room was painted white with a few blue accents."
4. Etymology: from about 1538, "a particular mode of pronunciation"; from Middle French (about 1400-1600) accent, from Old French (about 900-1400) acent; which came from Latin accentus, "song added to speech"; from ad-, "to" + cantus, "a singing", past participle of canere, "to sing".

Loan-translation of Greek prosoidia, from pros-, "to" + oide, "song", which apparently described the pitch scheme in Greek verse.

The decorating sense of "something that emphasizes or highlights" is from 1972. The verb meaning "to pronounce with an accent or a stress" is first recorded 1530.

This entry is located in the following unit: cant-, chant- + (page 1)
accent, ascent, assent
accent (AK sent") (noun)
1. A stress on a syllable to aid in the pronunciation of words; a stress, an emphasis: "The word woman has its accent on the first syllable."
2. Pronunciation, enunciation, or modulation of speech: "The famous movie actor speaks with a French accent."
3. A hint, a touch, a detail: "The room was painted white with just a slightly blue accent."
ascent (uh SENT) (noun)
1. A rising or climbing; an upward movement: "As a construction worker, Elmer, made a careful ascent up to the roof of the building."

"The ascent to the top of the mountain was difficult for Jared, Adrian, and Javier."

2. Incline, slope: "The road made a sharp ascent to the top of the hill."
3. Advancement, progress: "Marie's parents were amazed about her ascent from being a secretary to becoming president of the company in just five years."
assent (uh SENT) (verb)
To comply or to agree to something; to consent: "The workers will certainly assent to an increase in wages."

"Romeo was willing to assent to Juliet's request."

With the assent of the board of directors, the new board room was painted green with an accent or two of white highlighting the ascent of the ceiling to the skylight in the center.

This entry is located in the following units: Confusing Words Clarified: Group A; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, Polysemes, etc. + (page 2) -ent (page 1)