n.
Pronunciation: ' a-f ə -s ə s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -e · ses \ - ˌ s ē z \
Etymology: New Latin, from Greek, release, from aphienai to let go, from apo- + hienai to send ― more at JET
Date: 1880
: aphaeresis consisting of the loss of a short unaccented vowel (as in lone for alone )
– aphet · ic \ ə - ' fe-tik \ adjective
– aphet · i · cal · ly \ -ti-k( ə -)l ē \ adverb