n. 1. a. A change in a vowel sound caused by partial assimilation especially to a vowel or semivowel occurring in the following syllable. b. A vowel sound changed in this manner. Also called vowel mutation. 2. The diacritic mark (¨) placed over a vowel to indicate an umlaut, especially in German. tr.v. um·laut·ed, um·laut·ing, um·lauts 1. To modify by umlaut. 2. To write or print (a vowel) with an umlaut. [German : um-, around, alteration (from Middle High German umb-, from umbe, from Old High German umbi; see ambhi in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + Laut, sound (from Middle High German lūt, from Old High German hlūt; see kleu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] |
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