diaeresis

/daɪˈɛɹɪsɪs/

//daɪˈɛɹɪsɪs// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"diaeresis" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“diaeresis” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A separation of one syllable (especially a vowel which is a diphthong, that is, beginning with one sound and ending with another) into two distinct syllables; distraction.

Key facts for diaeresis
PropertyValue
Headworddiaeresis
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/daɪˈɛɹɪsɪs/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “diaeresis” sits in English frequency

diaeresis falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

diaeresis is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /daɪˈɛɹɪsɪs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for diaeresis in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: PIE word *dwís Unadapted borrowing from Late Latin diaeresis (“distribution; division of a diphthong into two syllables”), from Ancient Greek δῐαίρεσῐς (dĭaíresĭs, “distribution, division; division of a poetic line when the end of a word and a metrical foo… The correct English form is diaeresis, spelled D-I-A-E-R-E-S-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    A separation of one syllable (especially a vowel which is a diphthong, that is, beginning with one sound and ending with another) into two distinct syllables; distraction.
  2. 2
    A separation of one syllable (especially a vowel which is a diphthong, that is, beginning with one sound and ending with another) into two distinct syllables; distraction.
  3. 3
    An occurrence of separate vowel sounds in adjacent syllables without an intervening consonant; a hiatus.
  4. 4
    A division, a separation.
  5. 5
    A natural break in rhythm when a word ends at the end of a metrical foot in a line of verse.
  6. 6
    An act of separating body parts or tissues which are normally together.

Etymology

PIE word *dwís Unadapted borrowing from Late Latin diaeresis (“distribution; division of a diphthong into two syllables”), from Ancient Greek δῐαίρεσῐς (dĭaíresĭs, “distribution, division; division of a poetic line when the end of a word and a metrical foot coincide; division of a diphthong into two syllables”), from δῐαιρέω (dĭairéō, “to divide; to distinguish; to resolve a diphthong or contracted form”) + -σῐς (-sĭs, suffix forming abstract nouns or nouns of action, process, or result). Δῐαιρέω (Dĭairéō) is derived from δῐᾰ- (dĭă-, prefix meaning ‘across; through; in different directions’) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dwís (“doubly, twice; in two”)) + αἱρέω (hairéō, “to grasp, seize, take”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to grasp, seize, take”)).

This word in other languages

diéresis(Español)diérèse(Français)Diärese(Deutsch)trema(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "diaeresis"?
"diaeresis" is spelled D-I-A-E-R-E-S-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is /daɪˈɛɹɪsɪs/.
What does "diaeresis" mean?
As a noun, "diaeresis" means: A separation of one syllable (especially a vowel which is a diphthong, that is, beginning with one sound and ending with another) into two distinct syllables; distraction.
How do you pronounce "diaeresis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "diaeresis" is /daɪˈɛɹɪsɪs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "diaeresis"?
PIE word *dwís Unadapted borrowing from Late Latin diaeresis (“distribution; division of a diphthong into two syllables”), from Ancient Greek δῐαίρεσῐς (dĭaíresĭs, “distribution, division; division of a poetic line when the end of a word and a me... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “diaeresis”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-I-A-E-R-E-S-I-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /daɪˈɛɹɪsɪs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list