Definition of: circumflex

(sûr′kəm·fleks) noun
A mark (̂̑˜) used over a letter to indicate the combination of a rising with a falling tone or to mark a long vowel, contraction, etc., or used as a diacritical mark in phonetics. In the pronunciations in this dictionary, the circumflex is used over a to indicate the vowel sound in care (kâr), over o for the vowel in fall (fôl), and over u for the vowel in earn (ûrn).
—adjective
1. Pronounced or marked with the circumflex accent.
2. Bent in a curvilinear manner, as certain vessels and nerves.
—v.t.
1. To utter with a circumflex intonation or accent; mark with a circumflex.
2. To wind around; bend about. [<L circumflexus, pp. of circumflectere <circum- around + flectere bend]
—cir·cum·flex·ion (sûr′kəm·flek′shən) noun