What does accented mean?
"Accented" is an adjective describing something that carries an accent, stress, or emphasis. Most commonly it applies to speech: someone with accented English speaks in a way shaped by another language or region, as in "she spoke with a lightly accented voice." In phonetics and poetry, an accented syllable is one that receives greater stress than its neighbours, while in music an accented note is played with added force. The word also describes letters bearing diacritical marks, as in accented characters like é or ü. Derived from the Latin "accentus," meaning tone or song, it entered English through Old French alongside the noun "accent." Neutral in tone and common across both British and American usage, "accented" pairs naturally with adverbs of degree — heavily, slightly, strongly accented — making it a precise and versatile term for describing pronunciation, rhythm, and emphasis.
adjectivePronounced or written with a particular emphasis, stress, or accent; marked by a distinctive regional or foreign manner of speech. In typography and music, given special emphasis or stress.
- (Of speech) pronounced with a noticeable regional or foreign accent.
- (Of a syllable or note) given stress or emphasis in pronunciation or music.
- (Of text) marked with diacritical marks such as accents over vowels.
"She spoke with a softly accented English that betrayed her years in Paris."
"His heavily accented French made the taxi driver smile."
"In the word 'photograph', the first syllable is accented."
The word 'accented' ultimately traces back to the Latin 'ad cantare' — literally 'to sing to' — so every accented syllable is, etymologically speaking, a sung one.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of accented
"Accented" derives from the Latin "accentus," meaning tone, intonation, or song, formed from "ad-" (to) plus "canere/cantare" (to sing). The term passed into Old French as "accent" before entering Middle English in the late medieval period, where it referred originally to the modulation or pitch of the voice. Over time its sense broadened from vocal melody to include stress on syllables, marks placed over letters, and characteristic modes of pronunciation tied to region or origin. Cognates appear throughout the Romance languages, including French "accent" and Italian "accanto"-related forms rooted in the same singing metaphor.
Related word forms
How accented is actually used
Commonly used attributively before nouns ('an accented syllable', 'her accented English'). Neutral in register. In linguistics and music, 'accented' is a technical term contrasted with 'unaccented'.
Easily confused with accented
'Ascented' is not a standard English word; 'accented' refers to speech emphasis or pronunciation, while 'ascent' relates to climbing upward.