plural of long-vowel mark

The symbol ː (the triangular colon), which marks long vowels in IPA. / The symbol ー, which marks long vowels in Japanese hiragana and katakana.

(phonology) A vowel modified so that the frequency of its third formant is lowered.

In languages that distinguish vowel length, a vowel whose length is between a short vowel and a long vowel.

(phonology) A major change in the pronunciation of the English language, affecting the sounds of long vowels, that took place in England between 1350 and 1700.