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apocope

noun/əˈpɑːkəpi/

definition

the loss of one or more sounds or letters at the end of a word

example

In many dialects of English, apocope occurs regularly with words like 'photo' instead of 'photograph'.

synonyms
truncationelisionabbreviation
word origin — from late Latin 'apocope', from Greek 'apokopē', meaning 'a cutting off'

apocope, braggadocio, aubade, archipelago, chiaroscuro: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Word Ultra set 20. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

  1. apocope · noun/əˈpɑːkəpi/

    the loss of one or more sounds or letters at the end of a word

    In many dialects of English, apocope occurs regularly with words like 'photo' instead of 'photograph'.

    Synonyms: truncation, elision, abbreviation

    Origin: from late Latin 'apocope', from Greek 'apokopē', meaning 'a cutting off'

  2. braggadocio · noun/ˌbræɡ.əˈdoʊ.ʃi.oʊ/

    boastful or arrogant behavior

    His constant braggadocio about his athletic prowess began to annoy his teammates, who preferred humility over arrogance.

    Synonyms: boastfulness, swagger, ostentation

    Origin: The word 'braggadocio' originates from the character 'Braggadocchio' in Edmund Spenser's poem 'The Faerie Queene' (1590), derived from the Italian 'braggadocio,' which means 'a boastful person.'

  3. aubade · noun/oʊˈbæd/

    a poem or song appropriate to the dawn or early morning

    The poet composed an aubade to celebrate the beauty of a new dawn breaking over the horizon.

    Synonyms: morning song, dawn song, daybreak poem

    Origin: from Old Provençal 'alba' meaning 'dawn', related to 'albor' in Spanish and 'aube' in French

  4. archipelago · noun/ˌɑr.kɪˈpɛl.ə.ɡoʊ/

    a group of islands scattered in a body of water

    The Indonesian archipelago is home to thousands of islands, each with its own unique culture and biodiversity.

    Synonyms: island group, island chain, group of islands

    Origin: From Italian 'arcipelago', from Late Latin 'archipelagum', from Greek 'arkhipelagos' meaning 'chief sea' (from 'arkhi-' meaning 'chief' + 'pelagos' meaning 'sea')

  5. chiaroscuro · noun/kiˌɑroʊˈskjʊəroʊ/

    the use of strong contrasts between light and dark to create a sense of volume in modeling three-dimensional objects and figures

    The artist's mastery of chiaroscuro allowed him to depict the human figure with remarkable depth and realism.

    Synonyms: shading, contrast, light-dark

    Origin: Italian, from 'chiaro' meaning 'clear, light' and 'scuro' meaning 'dark, obscure'