primary accent

American  

noun

1. the principal or strongest stress of a word.

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primary accent British  

noun

1. linguistics the strongest accent in a word or breath group, as that on the first syllable of agriculture Compare secondary accent

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Example Sentences

In compound measures the secondary accent is marked by a beat almost as strong as that given the primary accent.

From Essentials in Conducting by Gehrkens, Karl Wilson

The cases, however, when the division cannot be made to come on either the syllable bearing the primary accent or one bearing a secondary accent will be comparatively few.

From Division of Words Rules for the Division of Words at the Ends of Lines, with Remarks on Spelling, Syllabication and Pronunciation by Hamilton, Frederick W. (Frederick William)

To mark the primary accent, and the rising inflection.

From 1001 Questions and Answers on Orthography and Reading by Hathaway, B. A.

In case of two secondary, where is the primary accent?

From 1001 Questions and Answers on Orthography and Reading by Hathaway, B. A.

"We do not speak of a monosyllable's having a primary accent."

From Slips of Speech : a Helpful Book for Everyone Who Aspires to Correct the Everyday Errors of Speaking by Bechtel, John Hendricks