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Macron: meaning, definitions and examples

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macron

 

[ ˈmækrən ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

diacritical mark

A macron is a diacritical mark that is placed over a vowel to indicate that it is to be pronounced with a long or stressed sound. It is often used in various languages, including Latin, Māori, and some dialects of English. This mark looks like a horizontal line above the letter, for example, ā, ē, ī, ō, and ū. In addition to its phonetic function, the macron can also help differentiate between words that would otherwise be homographs, thus providing clarity to the reader.

Examples of usage

  • In Māori, 'māori' includes a macron to indicate the length of the vowel.
  • The Latin word 'mālus' means bad, distinguishable from 'malus' without the macron.
  • Using a macron can change the meaning of a word in some languages.
  • Students learning Latin must understand the use of macrons for accurate pronunciation.

Translations

Translations of the word "macron" in other languages:

🇵🇹 macron

🇮🇳 मैक्रॉन

🇩🇪 Makron

🇮🇩 makron

🇺🇦 макрон

🇵🇱 makron

🇯🇵 マクロン

🇫🇷 macron

🇪🇸 macrón

🇹🇷 makron

🇰🇷 마크론

🇸🇦 ماكرون

🇨🇿 makron

🇸🇰 makron

🇨🇳 麦克龙

🇸🇮 makron

🇮🇸 makron

🇰🇿 макрон

🇬🇪 მაკრონი

🇦🇿 makron

🇲🇽 macrón

Etymology

The term 'macron' originates from the Greek word 'makros,' which means 'long' or 'large.' This reflects the mark's function of indicating elongated vowel sounds. The use of diacritical marks like the macron can be traced back to ancient civilizations. The Greeks were known to use such symbols to assist with pronunciation in their scripts. Later on, Roman scholars adopted these concepts, allowing for the evolution of the macron as we know it today. It has become an important aspect of linguistic studies and language education, particularly in teaching pronunciation in various cultures. The macron plays a significant role in helping to clarify meaning in languages that rely on vowel length for semantic differentiation.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #41,096, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.