noun A higher-pitched or stronger (louder or longer) articulation of a particular syllable of a word or phrase in order to distinguish it from the others or to emphasize it.
In the word "careful", the accent is placed on the first syllable.
noun Emphasis or importance in general.
At this hotel, the accent is on luxury.
noun A mark used in writing, in order to indicate the place of the spoken stress.
noun Any mark used in writing over letters, either in order to indicate the place of the spoken stress, or to indicate the nature or quality of the vowel marked, or to distinguish homophones.
The name Cézanne is written with an acute accent.
noun Modulation of the voice in speaking; the manner of speaking or pronouncing; a peculiar or characteristic modification of the voice, expressing emotion; tone.
noun The distinctive manner of pronouncing a language associated with a particular region, social group, etc., whether of a native speaker or a foreign speaker; the phonetic and phonological aspects of a dialect.
a foreign accent
noun A manner of pronunciation suggesting that the speaker is from a different region; a foreign accent.
My professor's accent is so thick that it's difficult to understand her lectures.
noun A distinctive manner of producing a sign language, such as someone who does not normally use a certain sign language might have when using it.