Apocope

In phonology, apocope (/əˈpɒkəpi/^[1]^[2]) is the omission (elision) or loss of a sound or sounds at the end of a word. While it most commonly refers to the loss of a final vowel, it can also describe the deletion of final consonants or even entire syllables.^[3]

For instance, in many dialects the 't' in words like 'hot' remains unpronounced in contexts like 'hot potato'. Even longer words, such as 'Worcestershire', can undergo apocope, resulting in 'Worcester'.

The resulting word form after apocope has occurred is called an apocopation.

^ "Apocope". Oxford Dictionaries UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021.^{[dead link]}
^ "Apocope". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
^ Campbell, Lyle (2007). Glossary of Historical Linguistics. Edinburgh University Press. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-7486-3019-6.

[1] "Apocope". Oxford Dictionaries UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021.^{[dead link]}

[2] "Apocope". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2016-01-21.

[:0-3] Campbell, Lyle (2007). Glossary of Historical Linguistics. Edinburgh University Press. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-7486-3019-6.

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