Definition of SYNCOPE

syncope

Plural: syncopes

Noun

  • The contraction of a word by omitting sounds from the middle.
  • a spontaneous loss of consciousness caused by insufficient blood to the brain
  • (phonology) the loss of sounds from within a word (as in `fo'c'sle' for `forecastle')
  • The elision or loss of a sound from the interior of a word, especially of a vowel sound with loss of a syllable.
  • A loss of consciousness when someone faints.
  • A missed beat or off-beat stress in music resulting in syncopation.

Examples

  • A sudden SYNCOPE of letters left his Scrabble rack nearly empty, a challenge.

Origin / Etymology

Learned borrowing from Late Latin syncopē, from Ancient Greek συγκοπή (sunkopḗ), from συγκόπτω (sunkóptō, “cut up”) + -η (-ē, nominalization suffix), from σύν (sún, “beside, with”) + κόπτω (kóptō, “strike, cut off”).

Antonyms

epenthesis

Scrabble Score: 14

syncope: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
syncope: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
syncope: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 16

syncope: valid Words With Friends Word