Apocopes

/əˈpɒkəpiz/ noun

Definition

The plural form of apocope; multiple instances of words that have been shortened by dropping their final sounds or letters.

Etymology

From the Greek apocope with the standard English plural suffix -s, used when referring to several examples of this linguistic phenomenon.

Kelly Says

English is full of apocopes that we don't even notice—'phone' (telephone), 'copter' (helicopter), 'gym' (gymnasium)—they're invisible shortcuts in speech!

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