APHESIS

[aph.e.sis] n, pl -e.ses [NL, fr. Gk, release, fr. aphienai to let go, fr. apo- + hienai to send--more at jet] (1880): aphaeresis consisting of the loss of a short unaccented vowel (as in lone for alone) -- aphet.ic adj -- aphet.i.cal.ly adv