verb
syncopate
Shorten a word by omitting sounds or letters from its middle.
Speakers sometimes syncopate 'family' by leaving out the middle vowel.
Etymology
The Greek verb means cutting short. Linguistics applies it to shortening a word by removing sounds from its interior.
More examples
- In casual speech, people often syncopate 'camera' to two syllables.
- The poet syncopates 'never' to 'ne'er' to preserve the rhythm.
- The syncopated spelling 'o'er' omits the middle consonant of 'over'.
Forms
syncopate · syncopates · syncopated · syncopating
syncope noun — Omission of sounds within a word.
Similar words
- contract
- Shortens a word or phrase, not necessarily in the middle.
- abbreviate
- Shortens written words, often by dropping letters at the end.