Definition

Noun: A cedilla is a small diacritical mark (¸) placed beneath the letter 'c' (forming 'ç') to indicate that it should be pronounced as an /s/ sound, rather than a /k/ sound, in languages such as French, Portuguese, and Catalan.

Usage

The cedilla modifies the pronunciation of the letter 'c'. It is used before the vowels 'a', 'o', and 'u' to signal the soft /s/ sound. Before 'e' or 'i', the letter 'c' is naturally pronounced as /s/ in these languages, so a cedilla is not needed.

Examples

• In the French word "français" (French), the cedilla under the 'c' changes its pronunciation from /k/ to /s/.
• The Portuguese word "açúcar" (sugar) uses a cedilla to ensure the 'c' is pronounced like an 's'.
• The Catalan word "façana" (facade) contains a 'ç'.

Advanced Usage

• Linguistic Context: The cedilla is a key feature in the orthography of several Romance languages. Its use is strictly governed by spelling rules.
• Digital Typography: In computing and Unicode, the character 'ç' has its own code point (U+00E7 for lowercase, U+00C7 for uppercase), distinct from a plain 'c' with an added combining diacritical mark.

Variants and Related Words

• Ç / ç: The letter form created by adding the cedilla.
• Diacritic / Diacritical Mark: The general category of signs added to letters, which includes the cedilla, accent marks, tildes, etc.

Synonyms

• Diacritical mark (This is the general category; "cedilla" is the specific term for this mark under a 'c').

Notes on Different Meanings

The word "cedilla" refers specifically to this one diacritical mark and its function. It does not have other unrelated meanings.

Noun

1. a diacritical mark (,) placed below the letter c to indicate that it is pronounced as an s