proclitic

noun

pro·​clit·​ic (ˌ)prō-ˈkli-tik How to pronounce proclitic (audio)
plural proclitics
: a clitic that is associated with a following word : a word that is treated in pronunciation as forming a part of a following word and that is often unaccented or contracted
A proclitic is a word that is so closely connected to the sound of the word that follows it that you end up mashing up the two words.Curtis Honeycutt

Note: The words y'all and 'tis contain easily recognized proclitics: y for you in y'all and t for it in 'tis. Others (such as those involving the truncation of "to" to "t" when occurring before a verb) may be less obvious. Proclitics are often heard in speech but are infrequently transcribed into print.

compare enclitic
proclitic adjective

Word History

Etymology

New Latin procliticus, from Greek pro- + Late Latin -cliticus (as in encliticus enclitic)

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of proclitic was in 1805

Dictionary Entries Near proclitic

Cite this Entry

“Proclitic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proclitic. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Definition revised
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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