proclitic

American  

[proh-klit-ik] / proʊˈklɪt ɪk /

adjective

1. (of a word) closely connected in pronunciation with the following word and not having an independent accent or phonological status.

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noun

1. a proclitic word.

proclitic British  

/ prəʊˈklɪtɪk /

adjective

1. 1. relating to or denoting a monosyllabic word or form having no stress or accent and pronounced as a prefix of the following word, as in English 't for it in 'twas

   2. (in classical Greek) relating to or denoting a word that throws its accent onto the following word

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noun

1. a proclitic word or form

Etymology

Origin of proclitic

1840–50; < New Latin proclīticus; modeled on enclitic; pro- ²

Example Sentences

Orthotonē′sis, accentuation of a proclitic or enclitic—opp. to Enclisis.

From Project Gutenberg

Proclitic, prō-klit′ik, adj. dependent in accent upon the following word.—n. a monosyllabic word which depends so much on the following word as to lose its accent.

From Project Gutenberg

This contraction is employed only when the article is metrically placed as a proclitic before another word, and is thereby shorn of its separate pronunciation as follows: Th' ambitious bard a nobler theme essays.

From Project Gutenberg

If the epithet suffix is a monosyllable, the accent of the compounded word is on the last syllable; if not, the accent is usually on the last but one, but the intervening article or preposition is always a proclitic, and is disregarded as to accent. 

From Project Gutenberg