tonic accent

American  

noun

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

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tonic accent British  

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

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Etymology

Origin of tonic accent

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

I initiated him into the peculiarities and subtle shades of the Russian language, and the difficulties presented by its tonic accent.

From Project Gutenberg

The italics denote where the tonic accent falls.

From Project Gutenberg

On the contrary, no difficulty about the pronunciation of the three French words, admirable, admirer, and admiration; the tonic accent falls on the last sound syllable in every case.

From Project Gutenberg

The Greek accents on Hebrew words always accord, as Hebraists know, with the tonic accent in that language.

From Project Gutenberg

The strong tonic accent of English, which is usually on the first, or root, syllable, brings about a kind of telescoping which makes us very unintelligible to foreigners.

From Project Gutenberg