circumflex

/ˈsɜː.kəmˌflɛks/

UK: /ˈsɜː.kəmˌflɛks/

SꞫː · kəmflɛks (2 syllables)

English Noun

Definition

A diacritical mark (ˆ) placed over a vowel in the orthography or transliteration of many languages to change its pronunciation; while in some other languages over a consonant.

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin circumflexus (“bent about”), calqued from Ancient Greek περισπώμενος (perispṓmenos, “drawn around”).