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definitions

tonic accent

noun
  1. prominence given to a syllable in speaking, usually due to a change, especially a rise, in pitch.

Origin of tonic accent

First recorded in 1865–70
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for tonic accent

tonic accent

noun
  1. emphasis imparted to a note by virtue of its having a higher pitch, rather than greater stress or long duration relative to other notes
  2. another term for pitch accent
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012