Etymology

Noun

1. A diacritic placed over a vowel letter indicating that it is sounded separately, usually forming a distinct syllable, as in , , .
2. The separation of a vowel, often a diphthong, into two distinct syllables.
3. A natural break in rhythm when a word ends at the end of a metrical foot, in a line of verse.

Usage notes

• The umlaut is a usually identical diacritic which alters the sound of a single vowel (as in German ). Properly speaking, the terms and are not interchangeable, though speakers frequently use the term to refer to a diaeresis.