aposiopesis

noun

ap·​o·​si·​o·​pe·​sis ˌa-pə-ˌsī-ə-ˈpē-səs 

plural aposiopeses ˌa-pə-ˌsī-ə-ˈpē-ˌsēz 

: the leaving of a thought incomplete usually by a sudden breaking off (as in "his behavior was—but I blush to mention that")

aposiopetic

ˌa-pə-ˌsī-ə-ˈpe-tik 

adjective

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Greek aposiōpēsis, from aposiōpan to be fully silent, from apo- + siōpan to be silent, from siōpē silence

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above