APHAERESIS

[aphaer.e.sis] or apher.e.sis n, pl -e.ses [LL, fr. Gk aphairesis, lit., taking off, fr. aphairein to take away, fr. apo- + hairein to take] (ca. 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 adj