noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈʊm.laʊt/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈʌmlaʊt/
General-American:/ˈʊm.laʊt/
General-American:/ˈumlaʊt/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -aʊt
1
noun
Meaning 1
An assimilatory process whereby a vowel is pronounced more like a following vocoid that is separated by one or more consonants.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The umlaut process (as above) that occurred historically in Germanic languages whereby back vowels became front vowels when followed by syllable containing a front vocoid (e.g. Germanic lūsiz > Old English lȳs(i) > Modern English lice).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A vowel so assimilated.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
The diacritical mark ( ̈ ) placed over a vowel when it indicates a (rounded) front vowel
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
"Naïve" takes an umlaut because it is pronounced as two syllables.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: diaeresis
Antonyms: none provided
6
verb
Meaning 6
To place an umlaut over (a vowel).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To modify (a word) so that an umlaut is required in it.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
Examples
an umlauting vowel
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
a diacritical mark (two dots) placed over a vowel in German to indicate a change in sound
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dieresis, diaeresis
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: diacritical mark, diacritic
History
Etymology
Etymology tree German um- Proto-Indo-European *ḱlew- Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *ḱlutós Proto-Germanic *hlūdaz Proto-West Germanic *hlūd Old High German lūt Middle High German lūt German Laut German Umlautbor. English umlaut Borrowed from German Umlaut in the 19th century, from um- or um (“around, re-, trans-”) + Laut (“sound”), from Old High German hlūt. More at loud.
Across languages
Translations
74 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
مُغَيِّرَة
(muḡayyira)
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Breton:
metafoniezh
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Bulgarian:
преглас
(preglas)
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Chinese Mandarin:
元音變音 /元音变音
(yuányīn biànyīn)
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Czech:
přehláska
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Danish:
omlyd
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Dutch:
umlaut
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Finnish:
vokaalinmukaus
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Finnish:
umlaut
— partial assimilation of a vowel
French:
métaphonie
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Georgian:
უმლაუტი
(umlauṭi)
— partial assimilation of a vowel
German:
Umlaut
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Greek:
μεταφωνία
(metafonía)
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Icelandic:
hljóðvarp
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Italian:
metafonesi
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Japanese:
ウムラウト
(umurauto)
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Macedonian:
преглас
(preglas)
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Polish:
umlaut
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Portuguese:
umlaut
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Portuguese:
metafonia
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Russian:
умла́ут
(umláut)
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Russian:
умля́ут
(umljáut)
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Silesian:
umlaut
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Spanish:
metafonía
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Swedish:
omljud
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Vietnamese:
um-lau
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Welsh:
affeithiad
— partial assimilation of a vowel
Chinese Mandarin:
變元音 /变元音
(biànyuányīn)
— vowel so assimilated
Czech:
přehláska
— vowel so assimilated
Estonian:
täpitäht
— vowel so assimilated
Finnish:
ääkkönen
— vowel so assimilated
German:
Halbdoppellaut
— vowel so assimilated
German:
Umlaut
— vowel so assimilated
German:
umgelauteter Vokal
— vowel so assimilated
Arabic:
مُغَيِّرَة
(muḡayyira)
— diacritical mark
Belarusian:
умля́ўт
(umljáwt)
— diacritical mark
Bulgarian:
умла́ут
(umláut)
— diacritical mark
Chinese Mandarin:
分音符號 /分音符号
(fēnyīn fúhào)
— diacritical mark
Chinese Mandarin:
分音符
(fēnyīnfú)
— diacritical mark
