Definition of: accent

(ak′sent) noun
1. A stress of voice on a particular syllable in pronouncing a word.
2. A mark used to indicate such stress: known as primary (noting the chief stress) and secondary (noting weaker stress on some other syllable or syllables) accents. In ə·brē′vē·ā′shən, the primary accent is on the fourth syllable, and the secondary accent is on the second syllable.
3. One of three marks, used chiefly in the Romance languages, to indicate the quality of a vowel or diphthong: acute (́), grave (̀), and circumflex (˄) accents.
4. Music Stress of voice or instrument.
5. A modulation of the voice; mode of utterance; pronounciation.
6. Math. A mark or marks to distinguish the value or order of similar symbols: a′ (a prime), a″ (a second), a‴ (a third), etc.; also to denote minutes and seconds in geometry, trigonometry, etc.: ′ = minutes. ″ = seconds.
8. In mensuration, a similar mark or marks to denote feet and inches, as ′ = feet; ″ = inches.
9. In prosody, the stress determining the rhythm of poetry; ictus.
— v.t. (ak′ sent, ak·sent′)
1. To speak or pronounce with an accent; stress.
2. To write or print with a mark indicating accent or stress.
3. To call attention to; accentuate. [<L accentus, lit., song added to speech (a trans. of Gk, prosōidia PROSODY) < ad- to + cantus a singing < canere sing]