Meaning of the word diaeresis in English

What does diaeresis mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

diaeresis

US /daɪˈer.ə.sɪs/

UK /daɪˈer.ə.sɪs/

a mark (¨) placed over a vowel to indicate that it is sounded in a separate syllable, as in naïve or Brontë.

Example:

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The word 'naïve' uses a diaeresis over the 'i'.

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Some style guides recommend using a diaeresis for certain foreign words.

Synonym:

umlaut trema