I. ˈsərkəmˌfleks, ˈsə̄k-, ˈsəik- transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: Latin circumflexus, past participle of circumflectere to bend around, mark with a circumflex, from circum- + flectere to bend
: to mark with a circumflex
II. adjective
Etymology: Latin circumflexus; in ref. to accent, approximate translation of Greek perispōmenos, present middle participle of perispan to draw off, divert, from peri- + span to draw — more at span
1.
a. : characterized by the pitch, quantity, or quality indicated by a circumflex (sense 1) ; especially : first rising and then falling in pitch
a circumflex intonation
the long o of Greek dōron “gift” is spoken with a circumflex accent
b. : being a circumflex (sense 1)
the a of French bâtir “to build” is written with a circumflex accent
c. : marked with a circumflex (sense 1)
circumflex e
2. of nerves and blood vessels : bending around
III. noun
( -es )
1. or circumflex accent : a mark ˆ, ῀, or ˜ originally used in Greek over long vowels to indicate a rising-falling tone and thence in other languages to mark length, contraction, or a falling-rising tone and in still others and in phonetic notation to indicate a particular vowel quality — see accent 5; compare tilde
2. : a rising-falling or falling-rising intonation of a vocalic or syllable