Umlaut

usgb/ˈʊmlaʊt/
noun

A mark ( ̈) used over a vowel in German or Hungarian to indicate a change in the sound of the vowel.

The word 'Zoögloea' has an umlaut over the 'o'.
Visual representation of "umlaut" - A mark ( ̈) used over a vowel in German or Hungarian to indicate a change in the sound of the vowel

Often appears as...

  • double umlaut
  • umlaut modification
Definition 1 of 2
Visual representation of "umlaut"
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Pronunciation Change

In German, umlauts indicate a vowel sound is pronounced differently than its non-umlaut form.

Illustration for Pronunciation Change
The 'ä' in 'Männer' (men) sounds different than 'a' in 'Mann' (man).
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Visual Recognition

Recognizing umlauts helps differentiate words that would otherwise look alike.

Illustration for Visual Recognition
'Fuß' (foot) versus 'Fuβ' (a Greek letter beta, often mistaken by learners).
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Not Decorative

An umlaut is not just decorative; it signals important changes in meaning.

Illustration for Not Decorative
'Schon' (already) is different from 'schön' (beautiful).
Visual representation of the word "Umlaut"

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