| ecthlipsis |
| Definition: The omission of letters or syllables for the sake of poetic meter. |
| Example:
Roses are red, violets are blue Money is green'n I've got none too. |
| Etymology: The word derives from the Greek ek, out + thlibein, to squeeze or press. |
| Oxford English Dictionary: The term's first citation is from 1657: "Ecthlipsis … a striking out. It is a figure of Prosodia, especially when (M) with his vowel is taken away, the next word beginning with a vowel." (J. Smith Myst. Rhet. 175 ) |