[cir.cum.flex] adj [L circumflexus, pp. of circumflectere to bend around, mark with a circumflex, fr. circum- + flectere to bend] (ca. 1577) 1: characterized by the pitch, quantity, or quality indicated by a circumflex
2: marked with a circumflex
[2]circumflex n (1609): a mark orig. used in Greek over long vowels to indicate a rising-falling tone and in other languages to mark length, contraction, or a particular vowel quality