APHESIS Definition & Meaning

aphesis

[af-uh-sis]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Historical Linguistics.

the disappearance or loss of an unstressed initial vowel or syllable, as in the formation of the word slant from aslant.

aphesis

/ əˈfɛtɪk, ˈæfɪsɪs /

noun

the gradual disappearance of an unstressed vowel at the beginning of a word, as in squire from esquire

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

aphetic adjective
��ˈ��پ�� adverb

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of aphesis¹

1880; < Greek á�� a letting go, equivalent to aphe- (variant stem of ��é�Բ�� to let go, set free; ap- ap- ² + ��é�Բ�� to send) + -sis -sis

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of aphesis¹

C19: from Greek, from aphienai to set free, send away

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Many names beginning with n are due to aphesis, e.g.

From

This English tendency to aphesis is satirised in a French song of the 14th century, intentionally written in bad French.

From

When the saint's name begins with a consonant, we get, instead of aphesis, a telescoped pronunciation, e.g.

From

apheresis aphetic

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