umlaut

Meanings

Noun

• An assimilatory process whereby a vowel is pronounced more like a following vocoid that is separated by one or more consonants.
• The umlaut process (as above) that occurred historically in Germanic languages whereby back vowels became front vowels when followed by syllable containing a front vocoid (e.g. Germanic lūsiz > Old English lȳs(i) > Modern English lice).
• A vowel so assimilated.
• The diacritical mark ( ¨ ) placed over a vowel when it indicates a (rounded) front vowel
• A diaeresis.

Verb

• To place an umlaut over (a vowel).
• To modify (a word) so that an umlaut is required in it.

Related

Similar words

• trema
• vowel mutation

Origin

• Borrowed from German Umlaut in the 19^th century, from um- or um + Laut, from Old High German hlūt. More at umbe, loud.