aphesis

English - English

Definition of aphesis in English English dictionary

The loss of the initial unstressed vowel of a word

The word leet is derived from elite by aphesis.

the gradual disappearance of an initial (usually unstressed) vowel or syllable as in `squire' for `esquire'

mispronouncing a word by dropping one or more initial, usually unstressed syllables "'cept" instead of "except " See also: aphetic

the omission of the initial syllable of a word See also Apocope

A form of aphaeresis in which the syllable omitted is short and unaccented, as in round for around

The loss of a short unaccented vowel at the beginning of a word; the result of a phonetic process; as, squire for esquire

aphetism

Related Terms

aphetically

In an aphetic way: through aphesis

aphetically

In an aphetic way: pertaining to the apheta

Hyphenation

aph·e·sis

Antonyms

prothesis

Etymology

() From Ancient Greek ἄφεσις (áphesis, “letting go”) ἀφίημι (aphíēmi) ἀπό (apó, “from”) + ἵημι (híēmi, “send forth”).