diacritic
Definition: That which serves to distinguish is diacritic; thus, a diacritical mark is one that is attached to a letter either:
(1) to indicate that the letter has an unusual phonetic value or
(2) to distinguish a word from another, similarly spelled word.
Example: The acute accent above the e in resumé.
Etymology: The word derives from the Greek diakritikos, that which separates or distinguishes.
Oxford English Dictionary: Its first OED citation is from 1677: "Plato in his Republic 9. makes a Philosopher to be … a diacritic or very critic instrument."
(Gale Crt. Gentiles iii. 87)


Please comment

E-Mail: