| aphaeresis |
| Definition: The omission of either a syllable or a letter from the beginning of a word. Note: The word is often used to mean "the loss of an unstressed vowel at the beginning of a word." This is incorrect. The OED calls this type of aphaeresis aphesis. |
| Example: The word cute was coined from the word acute and the word coon from raccoon by this process. |
| Etymology: The word derives from the Greek apo, away + hairein, to take; thus aphaeresis is "a taking away from." |
| OED: Its first citation is from 1611: "Aphairese, the figure Aphæresis." (Cotgr.) |