Macron
Definition 1 of 3
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Pronunciation Clue
A macron tells you to stretch out the vowel sound when pronouncing the word. The 'ā' in 'mākou' is said as a long 'a'.
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Common in Polynesian
The macron is often used in Polynesian languages to indicate vowel length. In Māori, 'māori' has a macron over the first 'a'.
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Not a Hyphen
Don't confuse macrons with hyphens or dashes; they look similar but have different functions. The word 'sake' doesn't need a macron, but 'sakē' does.