apheretic
|a-pher-e-tic|
/əfəˈrɛtɪk/
loss of initial sound
Etymology
'apheretic' originates from Greek via New/Modern Latin, specifically from Greek 'aphaíresis' (ἀφαίρεσις) meaning 'a taking away' or 'removal', where the elements meant 'away' (a-) and 'to take' (phairein).
'apheretic' passed into Latin as 'aphaeresis'/'aphaereticus' in New/Medieval Latin and later entered English as the adjective 'apheretic', used in linguistic contexts to describe forms showing initial loss.
Initially it referred generally to 'a taking away' or 'removal'; over time it specialized in linguistic usage to mean specifically the loss or omission of sounds at the beginning of a word.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a word or form that has undergone apheresis — i.e., has lost an initial sound or syllable.
An apheretic is a word that has lost its initial sound, for example 'round' (from 'around').
Synonyms
Adjective 1
relating to or characterized by apheresis — the omission or loss of one or more sounds or syllables at the beginning of a word (e.g., 'round' for 'around').
The dialect displays several apheretic pronunciations, such as using 'round' for 'around'.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/16 05:26