apocope

American

[uh-pok-uh-pee] / əˈpɒk əˌpi /

noun

loss or omission of the last letter, syllable, or part of a word.

apocope British

/ əˈpɒkəpɪ /

noun

omission of the final sound or sounds of a word

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

apocopic adjective

Etymology

Origin of apocope

1585–95; < Late Latin < Greek apokopḗ a cutting off, equivalent to apokóp ( tein ) to cut off ( apo- apo- + kóptein to cut) + -ē noun suffix

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

You will understand that it has one, when I tell you that we have here a very curious case of apocope.

From Project Gutenberg

Does not the final 'y' of 'tawny' suppose an apostrophe and apocope?

From Project Gutenberg

Sir Professor, a very curious case of apocope: .

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023