apocopes
|a-poc-o-pes|
🇺🇸
/əˈpɑːkəpiːz/
🇬🇧
/əˈpɒkəpiːz/
(apocope)
cutting off the end
Etymology
'apocope' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'apokopē' (ἀποκοπή), where 'apo-' meant 'away' and 'kopē' meant 'a cutting (a cutting off)'.
'apocope' passed into Late Latin/Medieval Latin as 'apocopa' and then into English as 'apocope', retaining the sense of 'cutting off' in reference to word endings.
Initially, it meant 'a cutting off' (literal cutting); over time it evolved into the linguistic sense 'the loss or omission of word endings', which is its current meaning.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'apocope': the omission or loss of one or more sounds or letters at the end of a word.
In many dialects, apocopes such as 'phone' from 'telephone' are common.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/19 08:20