aphaeresis

noun

Meaning

The loss or omission of one or more sounds or letters from the beginning of a word.

Examples

Linguists use the term aphaeresis to explain why the word 'possum' evolved from the original 'opossum'.
The shift from 'esquire' to 'squire' is a classic example of aphaeresis in the English language.

Synonyms: shortening, elision, truncation, apocope

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aphaeresis

noun

Pronunciation: /əˈfɪərɪsɪs/

Definition

The loss or omission of one or more sounds or letters from the beginning of a word.

Examples

Linguists use the term aphaeresis to explain why the word 'possum' evolved from the original 'opossum'.
The shift from 'esquire' to 'squire' is a classic example of aphaeresis in the English language.
Aphaeresis often occurs in rapid speech, leading to the creation of new, shortened word forms over time.

Synonyms of aphaeresis

Words with a similar meaning to aphaeresis:

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