Pronunciation: ə - ' fer- ə -s ə s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -e · ses \ - ˌ s ē z \
Etymology: Late Latin, from Greek aphairesis, literally, taking off, from aphairein to take away, from apo- + hairein to take
Date: circa 1550
: the loss of one or more sounds or letters at the beginning of a word (as in round for around and coon for raccoon )
– aph · ae · ret · ic \ ˌ a-f ə - ' re-tik \ adjective