Bryozoön

/ˌbraɪəˈzoʊən/ noun

Definition

An alternative spelling of bryozoan using the diaeresis (two dots) over the final 'o' to indicate separate vowel sounds.

Etymology

This is a variant orthographic form of bryozoan, using the diaeresis mark common in 19th-century English scientific writing to clarify pronunciation of adjacent vowels.

Kelly Says

The diaeresis mark is becoming rarer in modern English, but you still see it in words like 'cooperate' and 'naïve'—it's a tiny typographic rescue signal saying 'these vowels are separate, not one sound!'

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