hyphaeresis

noun

hy·​phaer·​e·​sis hī-ˈfer-ə-səs How to pronounce hyphaeresis (audio)
 especially British  -ˈfir-
: the omission of a sound, letter, or syllable from the body of a word

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek hyphaíresis "taking from below, subtraction, omission of a letter," from hyphaireîn "to draw from under, pilfer, subtract" (from hyp- hyp- + haireîn "to take, grasp," of obscure origin) + -sis -sis

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hyphaeresis was in 1884

Dictionary Entries Near hyphaeresis

Cite this Entry

“Hyphaeresis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hyphaeresis. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!