ˈsiŋkə(ˌ)pē, -ink-, -_pi noun
( -s )
Etymology: Late Latin, from Greek synkopē, from synkoptein to chop up, cut short, from syn- + koptein to strike, cut off — more at capon
1. : a partial or complete temporary suspension of respiration and circulation due to cerebral ischemia and characterized by sudden pallor, coldness of the skin, and partial or complete unconsciousness : faint , swoon
2.
a. : the loss of one or more sounds or letters in the interior of a word (as in di'mond for diamond or fo'c'sle for forecastle ) — compare aphaeresis , apocope , contraction , hyphaeresis
b. : a form resulting from such a loss of sounds or letters
3. : suppression or omission of a short syllable within a metrical foot or measure usually with compensating protraction of an adjacent long
4. obsolete : syncopation 2