proparoxytone, a. and n. Gram.
(prəʊpəˈrɒksɪtəʊn)
[ad. Gr. προπαροξύτον-ος: see pro-2 and oxytone; so F. proparoxyton.]
a. adj. In Gr. Gram. Having an acute accent on the antepenult. Also applied to words in Latin, and sometimes in other languages, having the tonic accent or stress on that syllable. b. n. A word so accented.
| 1764 W. Primatt Accentus Rediv. 106 When they [the Ionians] turned proparoxytone nouns of the..declension in εια into ιη, at the same time they made them paroxytones. 1885 J. Lecky tr. Paul Pierson in Academy 24 Jan. 65/2 We may even predict that at some period..there will be nothing but paroxytones and proparoxytones [in French], since these accentuations are now invading even exclamatory and interrogative phrases, while conclusive phrases are barytone already. 1887 ‘Q’ (Quiller Couch) Dead Man's Rock 187 It is a great thing for struggling youth to have a three-syllabled name with a proparoxyton accent. |
Hence ˌproparoxyˈtonic, † ˌproparoˈxytonous (rare) adjs., having or characterized by proparoxytone accent or stress; propaˈroxytone v. trans., to accent on the antepenultimate syllable.
| 1754 H. Gally Dissert. agst. pronouncing Grk. Lang. according to Accents 143 All the Compounds of οικος are proparoxytonous. 1887 A. Morel-Fatio in Encycl. Brit. XXII. 349/2 Castilian may be said to be essentially a paroxytonic language, though it does not altogether refuse proparoxytonic accentuation. 1890 Cent. Dict., Proparoxytone vb. |