dieresis

(dī er′ə sis)

the separation of two consecutive vowels, esp. of a diphthong, into two syllables
a mark (¨) placed over the second of two consecutive vowels to show that it is pronounced in a separate syllable: the dieresis is now usually replaced by a hyphen (reënter, re-enter) or simply omitted (cooperate, naive): the mark is also used, as in this dictionary, to show a certain pronunciation of a vowel (ä, ë, ö, ü)
Prosody a slight break or pause in a line of verse, resulting when the end of a metric foot coincides with the end of a word

Origin: LL diaeresis < Gr diairesis, division < diairein, to divide, separate < dia-, apart + hairein, to take: see heresy

Related Forms:

See dieresis in American Heritage Dictionary 4

or di·aer·e·sis

noun pl. di·er·e·ses or di·aer·e·ses (-sēzˌ)

Linguistics
a. A mark ( ¨ ) placed over the second of two adjacent vowels to indicate that they are to be pronounced as separate sounds rather than a diphthong, as in naïve.
b. A mark ( ¨ ) placed over a vowel, such as the final vowel in Brontë, to indicate that the vowel is not silent.
Poetry A break or pause in a line of verse that occurs when the end of a word and the end of a metrical foot coincide.

Origin:

Origin: Late Latin diaeresis

Origin: , from Greek diairesis

Origin: , from diairein, to divide

Origin: : dia-, apart; see dia-

Origin: + hairein, to take

Learn more about dieresis

dieresis medical definition

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