macron
1
9.9
A horizontal line placed above a vowel to show a long sound
- noun
- /ˈmeɪkrən/
- Specialized
:
macrón
- Yeah, that's the thing about macrons, you always go back for seconds.
Examples
-
The word 'māte' uses a macron over the 'a' to show it is pronounced long.
-
Normally, I sell Adore cosmetics and Macron appliances.
Fiction book (2001) -
So bear in mind always be looking for these macrons over vowels.
-
In Hawaiian, the presence of a macron can change the meaning of a word.
-
Students often use macrons in phonetic transcription to denote prolonged vowel sounds.
Synonyms
accent
vsmacron
2
4.8
A mark above a vowel showing how to pronounce it
is used specifically to show that a vowel is pronounced long
1
8.6
A small mark that changes the sound of a letter
indicates specifically that a vowel has a long sound
1
6.4
A small sign written on a letter to show how to say it or to change its meaning
focuses narrowly on marking long vowel pronunciation above vowels
Surface Forms
Etymology
Macron comes from a Greek root makr- meaning 'long', and it is the same root you see in macro. A macron is the small bar put above a vowel to show a 'long' sound, so its name means 'long mark'.