truncation

Truncation is the act or process of truncating—shortening something by removing part of it.

It can also mean the state of having been truncated.

Truncation can involve the removal of the beginning of something, the end of it, the top of it, or another part of it. In scientific and medical contexts, truncation often involves cutting off a part of something in a way that’s parallel to its base (or perpendicular to its side).

In the context of math, to truncate is to shorten a number by dropping some of the digits after the decimal place. For example, 1.356 can be truncated to 1.3. (This is different from rounding, in which the last one or two digits are adjusted in a specified way in order to reflect the magnitude of the original number.)

In poetry, truncation refers to the practice of leaving out syllables at the beginning or end of a line.

In banking, truncation is used in a more specific way to refer to a simplified system of electronic check recording in which canceled checks are not returned to customers by the bank.

Example: Unfortunately, the poor weather has resulted in the truncation of the season.

The first records of the word truncation come from the 1570s. It ultimately comes from the Latin verb truncāre, “to lop” or “to cut off.” Truncāre comes from the Latin truncus, which means “stem,” “stump,” or “trunk,” and is also the basis of the word trunk, as in the trunk of a tree.

You can truncate a trunk of a tree by chopping it down to the stump, but truncation isn’t commonly applied to physical things. It’s most often used to refer to the shortening of intangible things, such as a schedule or a piece of writing, as in The truncation of the last part was only done to stay within the word count—there wasn’t anything wrong with it.

What are some other forms related to truncation?

• truncate (verb)

What are some synonyms for truncation?

• shortening
• abbreviation
• abridgement

What are some words that share a root or word element with truncation? 

• trunk

What are some words that often get used in discussing truncation?

• version
• cut
• short
• schedule
• season
• severe
• full

Truncation can be used in all kinds of contexts, but it’s most often applied to intangible things.

"Bereavement is a universal and integral part of our experience of love. It is not the truncation of the process, but one of its phases; not the interruption of the dance, but the next figure."
– CS Lewis, 'A Grief Observed'"

— William Dalrymple (@DalrympleWill) January 18, 2019

But without the truncation, the effect looks like this (currently working on the data myself, so I decided to take a look): (3/5) pic.twitter.com/o4zzg0KNKY

— Amy Orben (@OrbenAmy) January 22, 2018

Truncation is not a content strategy pic.twitter.com/F3kjgOOnbv

— Karen McGrane (@karenmcgrane) July 29, 2020

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of truncation?

A. abridgement
B. abbreviation
C. lengthening
D. shortening