elisions
|e-lis-ions|
🇺🇸
/ɪˈlɪʒənz/
🇬🇧
/ɪˈlɪʒ(ə)nz/
(elision)
omission or merging
Etymology
'elision' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'elidere', where 'e-' (from 'ex-') meant 'out' and 'lidere' meant 'to strike (away)'.
'elision' passed into Middle French as 'élision' and then into English as 'elision', keeping the sense of 'striking or casting out' and later narrowing to 'omission'.
Initially it referred to 'striking out' or 'casting out' in a physical or literal sense; over time it evolved to the current meaning of 'omission (especially of sounds or words)'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the omission of a sound or syllable when speaking (especially to preserve rhythm or ease of pronunciation).
Poets often use elisions to keep the meter of a line.
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Noun 2
the omission of letters, words, or phrases in writing or speech, either intentionally or accidentally.
The minutes contained several elisions that made the report unclear.
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Noun 3
a figurative avoidance or evasion of a topic, responsibility, or detail (less common sense).
There were notable elisions in his account of the decision-making process.
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Last updated: 2026/01/02 20:08