accent
ac·cent • n. / ˈakˌsent/ 1. a distinctive mode of pronunciation of a language, esp. one associated with a particular nation, locality, or social class: a German accent. ∎ the mode of pronunciation used by native speakers of a language: she mastered the French accent.2. a distinct emphasis given to a syllable or word in speech by stress or pitch. ∎ a mark on a letter or word to indicate pitch, stress, or vowel quality. ∎ Mus. an emphasis on a particular note or chord.3. [in sing.] a special or particular emphasis: the accent is on participation. ∎ a feature that gives a distinctive visual emphasis to something: blue woodwork and accents of red.• v. / ˈakˌsent; akˈsent/ [tr.] emphasize (a particular feature): fabrics that accent the background colors in the room. ∎ Mus. play (a note, a beat of the bar, etc.) with an accent.DERIVATIVES: ac·cen·tu·al / akˈsenchoōəl/ adj.