noun

1. the emphasis (by stress, pitch, or both) given to a particular syllable or word when it is spoken
2. a mark used in writing or printing to show the placing and kind of this emphasis, as in the primary (ʹ) and secondary () accenting of English (ac·celʹer·ator, aca·demʹi·cal·ly, etc.)
3. a mark used to distinguish between various sounds represented by the same letter in French there are acute (´), grave (ˋ), and circumflex (^) accents
4. the pitch contour of a phrase
5. 1. a distinguishing regional or national manner of pronunciation Irish accent, Southern accent
   2. a manner of articulating the sounds of another language that is influenced by the phonology of one's native language speaking Russian with a heavy Midwestern American accent
6. a voice modulation expressive of an emotion accents of love
7. Old Poet. speech; words; utterance in accents mild
8. a distinguishing style of expression
9. a striking or prominent feature of any artistic composition the classical accent of a pillar
10. an object or detail that lends emphasis, as by contrast with that which surrounds it
11. special emphasis or attention to put the accent on highway construction
12. a mark used with a number or letter, as in mathematics to indicate a variable (a), or in measurement of length (10′ 5″, ten feet five inches) or of time (3′ 16″, three minutes sixteen seconds)
13. Music
    1. emphasis or stress on a note or chord
    2. a mark or sign showing this
14. Music, Prosody rhythmic stress or beat

Etymology: Fr < L accentus < ad-, to + cantus, pp. of canere, to sing: a L rendering of Gr prosōidia (see prosody), orig. referring to the pitch scheme of Gr verse

transitive verb

1. to pronounce (a syllable, word, or phrase) with special stress
2. to mark with an accent
3. to emphasize