Synalepha

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Synalepha \Syn`a*le"pha\, n. [NL., fr. L. synaloepha, Gr. ?,
     from ? to melt together; sy`n with + ? to besmear.] (Gram.)
     A contraction of syllables by suppressing some vowel or
     diphthong at the end of a word, before another vowel or
     diphthong; as, th' army, for the army. [Written also
     {synaloepha}.]


     [1913 Webster]