elision
Americannoun
-
the omission of a vowel, consonant, or syllable in pronunciation.
-
(in verse) the omission of a vowel at the end of one word when the next word begins with a vowel, as th'angel.
-
an act or instance of eliding or omitting anything.
noun
-
the omission of a syllable or vowel at the beginning or end of a word, esp when a word ending with a vowel is next to one beginning with a vowel
-
any omission of a part or parts
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of elision
First recorded in 1575–85; from Latin ēlīsiōn- (stem of ēlīsiō ) a striking out, equivalent to ēlīs ( us ) (past participle of ēlīdere; see elide) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
Leaving something out is an elision. If the movie version of your favorite book leaves out the most exciting plot line, it's because the director made an elision. Elision has its roots in the Latin word elidere, which means "to crush out." A government censor who blacks out the names of people or places in a document is making an elision, and so is an editor who removes passages from an article to make it shorter or clearer. The editor probably thinks of the elision as a clean, businesslike cut, but the writer might indeed feel crushed.
Vocabulary lists containing elision
Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - Advanced
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Reading: Literature - Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Big Science
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Only one person has left thus far: a maintenance worker who simultaneously quit his job at eliseo and another at a second facility, both without notice.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 26, 2021
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
