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Diaeresis

//daɪˈɛɹɪsɪs// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A separation of one syllable (especially a vowel which is a diphthong, that is, beginning with one sound and ending with another) into two distinct syllables; distraction. countable, uncountable

    "Synaeresis, the opposite of Diaëresis, is the throwing of two syllables into one; as, Seest for seëst. Looked for look-ed."

  2. 2
    a diacritical mark (two dots) placed over a vowel to indicate that it does not form a diphthong with an adjacent vowel wordnet
  3. 3
    A separation of one syllable (especially a vowel which is a diphthong, that is, beginning with one sound and ending with another) into two distinct syllables; distraction.; The diacritical mark consisting of two dots (¨) placed over a letter (especially the second of two consecutive vowels) to indicate that it is sounded separately, usually as a distinct syllable. countable, uncountable

    "Diæreſis is vvhen tvvo points ouer a vovvell diuide it from another vovvel, as bouë, queuë, read bou-e, queu-e, not bo-ue, que-ue."

  4. 4
    An occurrence of separate vowel sounds in adjacent syllables without an intervening consonant; a hiatus. countable, uncountable
  5. 5
    A division, a separation. countable, figuratively, rare, uncountable
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  1. 6
    A natural break in rhythm when a word ends at the end of a metrical foot in a line of verse. countable, uncountable
  2. 7
    An act of separating body parts or tissues which are normally together. archaic, countable, uncountable

    "There are four^([sic]) manners of performing the Diæreſis: viz. by Cutting, Pricking, Tearing, Dravving, and Burning."

Etymology

PIE word *dwís Unadapted borrowing from Late Latin diaeresis (“distribution; division of a diphthong into two syllables”), from Ancient Greek δῐαίρεσῐς (dĭaíresĭs, “distribution, division; division of a poetic line when the end of a word and a metrical foot coincide; division of a diphthong into two syllables”), from δῐαιρέω (dĭairéō, “to divide; to distinguish; to resolve a diphthong or contracted form”) + -σῐς (-sĭs, suffix forming abstract nouns or nouns of action, process, or result). Δῐαιρέω (Dĭairéō) is derived from δῐᾰ- (dĭă-, prefix meaning ‘across; through; in different directions’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dwís (“doubly, twice; in two”)) + αἱρέω (hairéō, “to grasp, seize, take”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to grasp, seize, take”)).

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