| contraction |
| Definition -
(1) (noun) A shortened form of a word, especially one that uses an apostrophe. (2) (verb) The act of contracting a word or a syllable, etc. |
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Example - I can`t stand the word don't. |
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Etymology - The word derives via French from the Latin contrahere, to draw together. |
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Oxford English Dictionary - (1) The first citation for the noun is from 1755: (Johnson s.v.) "The writing is full of contractions." (2) The first citation for the verb is from 1706: (Phillips, The New World of Words (ed. Kersey) s.v) "A Contraction of Syllables." |
