| crasis |
| Definition: The contracting of two vowels into either one long vowel or a diphthong. Usually, it involves combining a vowel that is at the end of a word with the one that starts the next word. Note: The term also denotes internal contractions in Latin words (e.g., the creation of nil from nihil). |
| Example: I haven't been able to find a good example of this in English. If you know of one, please pass it along. |
| Etymology: The word derives from the Greek krasis, mixture. |