What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
tilde
Example
In Spanish, the word 'mañana' is pronounced 'ma-nyah-nah' with a tilde over the 'n'. [tilde: noun]
Example
The value of pi is approximately 3.14~. [tilde: symbol]
diacritic
Example
The French word 'naïve' has a diacritic over the 'i' to indicate that it is pronounced separately from the 'a'. [diacritic: noun]
Example
In music notation, a staccato mark is a diacritic that indicates a short and detached note. [diacritic: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Diacritic is a more common term than tilde and is used in a wider range of contexts and languages.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between tilde and diacritic?
Both tilde and diacritic are technical terms used in specific fields, but tilde may be considered less formal due to its association with Spanish and Portuguese language usage.
