Pronunciation: [ˌɒksɪtˈə͡ʊn] (IPA) 
The word "oxytone" is spelled /ˈɒksɪtəʊn/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The "oxy" part comes from the Greek "oxys," meaning "sharp" or "acute," and the "tone" part comes from the Greek "tonos," meaning "sound" or "pitch." The stress is on the second syllable, with a short "o" sound and a long "i" sound. "Oxytone" is a linguistic term used to describe a word that is stressed on the last syllable, such as "café" or "parole."
Oxytone is a term used in linguistics to describe a specific type of word or accentuation pattern in a language. The term originates from the Greek words "oxy," meaning sharp or high, and "tonos," meaning tone or accent. In this context, oxytone refers to a word that has its accent or stress placed on the last syllable.
In languages with oxytone words, the stress falls on the final syllable of the word, creating a sharp or high tonal quality. This accent pattern is commonly found in various languages around the world, including Greek, Catalan, and some dialects of Spanish.
Oxytone words often have a distinct rhythmic quality and tend to sound concise or abrupt due to the accent being placed on the final sound. This pattern contrasts with other accentuation patterns such as paroxytone (stress on the penultimate syllable) and proparoxytone (stress on the antepenultimate syllable).
This term can also be used to refer to specific words that fall into this accentuation pattern. For example, in Greek, the word "kafé" (meaning coffee) is an oxytone word because the stress falls on the final syllable. Understanding the accentuation patterns in different languages is crucial for proper pronunciation and comprehension.
Overall, the term oxytone is a linguistic concept used to describe words or accentuation patterns in which the final syllable carries the stress or accent.
• An acute sound.
• Having an acute sound.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word oxytone is derived from two Greek words: oxy meaning sharp or high, and tonos meaning tone or accent. In ancient Greek grammar, oxytone refers to a word whose accent falls on the last syllable. Therefore, oxytone literally translates to sharp-toned or high-toned.
