ablaut

[ ahb-lout, ab-; German ahp-lout ]

noun

, Grammar.

1. (in Indo-European languages) regular alternation in the internal phonological structure of a word element, especially alternation of a vowel, that is coordinated with a change in grammatical function or combination, as in English sing, sang, sung, song; apophony.

ablaut

/ ˈaplaut; ˈæblaʊt /

noun

1. linguistics vowel gradation, esp in Indo-European languages See gradation

Word History and Origins

Origin of ablaut¹

1840–50; < German, equivalent to ab- off + Laut sound

Word History and Origins

Origin of ablaut¹

German, coined 1819 by Jakob Grimm from ab off + Laut sound

Example Sentences

According to the New English Dictionary, “grub” may be referred to an ablaut variant of the Old Teutonic grab-, to dig, cf. “grave.”

From Project Gutenberg

By ablaut is meant the gradation of vowels both in stem and suffix, which was chiefly caused by the primitive Indo-Germanic system of accentuation.

From Project Gutenberg