Definition

Describing a word that has an accent or stress on the last syllable.

Example

In Greek, the word 'café' is an example of an oxytone because the stress is on the final syllable.

Conversation

Have you ever heard the term oxytone?

Yeah, I think it refers to words with stress on the last syllable, right?

Exactly! I find it interesting how different languages use oxytone words.

Me too! It really shows the diversity in language structure.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Definition

A word that has its emphasis or accent on the final syllable.

Example

In the word 'café', the stress is on the last syllable, making it an oxytone.

Conversation

I learned about oxytone words in my linguistics class today.

Oh really? What does that mean exactly?

It refers to words that have the stress on the last syllable.

Root Explanation

Oxytone → It is formed from "oxy-" (from Greek "oxus", meaning sharp or acute) and "tonos" (meaning tone or tension). The word refers to a word with an acute accent, indicating a sharp or high tone in pronunciation.

Memory Tip

Think of 'sharp' ('oxy-') to remember that 'oxytone' refers to a word with a sharp or high tone in its pronunciation.

Visually Confused Words