'apocopation' originates from Medieval Latin, specifically the word 'apocopatio', where the prefix 'apo-' meant 'away' and the Greek root 'kopē' meant 'cutting'.

'apocopation' changed from the Medieval Latin word 'apocopatio', which in turn comes from Greek 'apokopē' ('apo-' + 'kopē'), and eventually became the modern English word 'apocopation'.

Initially, it meant 'a cutting off' (a literal cutting away), but over time it evolved into its current linguistic meaning of 'the loss or removal of a sound or syllable at the end of a word, especially the final vowel'.