'apocopate' originates from Greek via Latin, specifically the Greek word 'apokopē', where 'apo-' meant 'away' and 'koptein' meant 'to cut'.

'apocopate' passed into English formation from Late Latin/New Latin forms based on Greek 'apokopē' plus the verbalizing suffix '-ate', eventually becoming the modern English verb 'apocopate'.

Initially it referred generally to 'cutting off' (the act of cutting away); over time it came to be used specifically for the linguistic process of shortening a word by dropping its final sound(s).