circumflex etymology

Etymology

The word "circumflex" comes from the Latin "circumflexus," which means "bent around." It is derived from the prefix "circum-," meaning "around," and the verb "flectere," meaning "to bend."

Meaning

A circumflex is a diacritical mark placed over a vowel to indicate a change in pitch or pronunciation. It is typically used to indicate a rising or falling tone in a word or syllable.

Origin

The circumflex was originally developed in the Greek language, where it was used to indicate a long vowel or a vowel followed by a rough breathing. In Latin, the circumflex was adopted to indicate a long vowel or a vowel that had been shortened due to the loss of a following consonant.

In modern languages, the circumflex is used to indicate a variety of different pronunciations. For example, in French, it is used to indicate a nasal vowel. In Portuguese, it is used to indicate a stressed syllable. And in Spanish, it is used to indicate a stressed vowel.

The circumflex is also used in mathematics to indicate an angle that is greater than 180 degrees.

circumflex relate terms

  • flexible

    Etymology Latin flexibilis from flexus meaning bent curved Proto Indo Europea

  • circum

    Etymology The word circum comes from the Latin word circum which means around or

  • circus

    Etymology The word circus derives from the Latin word circus which means ring or

  • arrange

    Etymology Meaning Origin etymology the origin of a word and the

  • circa

    Etymology Circa is a Latin preposition meaning about or approximately It is derived

  • circadian

    Etymology and Origin The term circadian is derived from Latin Circa about appr

  • circle

    Etymology The English word circle comes from the Latin word circulus a diminutive o

  • circuit

    Etymology The word circuit is derived from Latin circuitus which means a going aro

  • circum

    Etymology The word circum comes from the Latin word circum which means around or

  • circumcision

    Etymology Latin circumcisio from circumcidere to cut around Proto Indo European root

  • circumflex

    Etymology The word circumflex comes from the Latin circumflexus which means bent ar

  • circumnavigate

    Etymology Latin circum around navigare to sail Italian circumnavigare Mea

  • circumscribe

    Etymology The word circumscribe comes from the Latin circumscribere meaning to draw

  • circumspect

    Etymology Latin circumspectus past participle of circumspicere to look around Cir

  • circumstance

    Etymology and Meaning The word circumstance derives from the Latin word circumstantia

  • circus

    Etymology The word circus derives from the Latin word circus which means ring or

  • cirque

    Etymology Latin circus circle ring Meaning A circus is a form of entertainment th

  • corona

    Etymology The word corona is derived from the Latin word corona which means crown

  • crepe

    Etymology The word crepe originates from the French word crêpe which means fabric

  • crest

    Etymology and Origin The word crest has multiple etymological origins Old French c

  • crinoline

    Etymology The word crinoline is derived from the French crin horsehair and the Lati

  • crisp

    Etymology Middle English crispe borrowed from Old French crespe meaning curled

  • crown

    Etymology Middle English corone from Old French corone from Latin corona from Gree

  • curb

    Meaning A word or phrase that has been altered in pronunciation and meaning by folk etymo

  • curvature

    Etymology Curvature is derived from the Latin word curvus meaning bent Meaning

  • curve

    Etymology The word curve originates from the Latin word curvus which means bent o

  • derange

    Etymology Old French desrengier derangier Late Latin derangiare Medieval Latin dera

  • flounce

    Etymology The word flounce has uncertain origins but it is believed to be derived fr

  • krone

    Etymology The word krone originates from the Latin word corona meaning crown or w

  • ring

    Etymology The word ring derives from the Old English word hring which is cognate wit

  • ranch

    Etymology The word ranch originates from the Spanish word rancho which means a smal

  • range

    Etymology The word range originates from the Old French word reng which means row o

  • ranger

    Etymology The word ranger comes from the Middle English word rangier which in turn

  • rank

    Etymology Origin Greek etymon true sense logy study of Meaning The study of

  • recherche

    Etymology The word recherche is derived from the French word rechercher meaning to

  • ridge

    Etymology The word ridge comes from the Old English word hrycg meaning back or s

  • rink

    Etymology The word rink comes from the Old English word hring meaning circle Me

  • rucksack

    Etymology Rucksack is derived from the German words Rücken back and Sack sack

  • search

    Etymology Origin Greek Etymology Etymos true real logia study of Mean

  • shrink

    Etymology Late Middle English from Middle Dutch schrinken variant of shrumpen from O

  • diacritic

    Etymology The word diacritic comes from the Greek word diakritikos meaning distinct

  • ballpark

    Etymology The term ballpark originated in the 19th century from the early days of baseb

  • seal

    Etymology of Seal The word seal derives from the Old English word seolh which orig

  • Mary

    Etymology The name Mary originates from the Hebrew name Miriam Meaning From Hebrew

  • obsess

    Etymology Latin ob sessum Meaning To be preoccupied with or fixated upon a parti

  • boast

    Etymology Old English boastan to brag threaten Proto West Germanic bōstijaną

  • eclectic

    Etymology From Late Latin eclēcticus from Ancient Greek eklektikos selective disce

  • culture

    Etymology and Meaning The word culture is derived from the Latin word colere which m

  • diaspora

    Etymology The word diaspora originates from the Greek word διασπορά diaspora

  • marry

    Etymology Old English mergian Proto Germanic marzjan Meaning To join together or unit