ecthlipsis

American  

[ek-thlip-sis] / ɛkˈθlɪp sɪs /

noun

plural

ecthlipses

1. loss of a consonant, especially, in Latin, loss of a final m before a word beginning with a vowel or h.

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Etymology

Origin of ecthlipsis

1650–60; < Late Latin < Greek ékthlīpsis, equivalent to ekthlī́b ( ein ) to squeeze out ( ek- ec- + thlī́bein, variant of phlī́bein to squeeze) + -sis -sis

Example Sentences

Ecthlipsis, ek-thlip′sis, n. omission or suppression of a letter.

From Project Gutenberg

To scanning there belong the figures called Synalœpha, Ecthlipsis, Synæresis, Diæresis, and Cæsura.

From Project Gutenberg

Ecthlipsis is as often as the letter m is cut off with its vowel; the next word beginning with a vowel, as Mōnstrum hōrrēndum īnfōrme īngēns—spectāvĭmŭs hōrtīs: We saw a horrible, ugly, great monster in the gardens.

From Project Gutenberg