enclitic

American  

[en-klit-ik] / ɛnˈklɪt ɪk /

adjective

1. (of a word) closely connected in pronunciation with the preceding word and not having an independent accent or phonological status.

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noun

1. an enclitic word, as Latin que “and” in arma virumque, “arms and the man.”

enclitic British  

/ ɪnˈklɪtɪk /

adjective

1. 1. denoting or relating to a monosyllabic word or form that is treated as a suffix of the preceding word, as Latin -que in populusque

   2. (in classical Greek) denoting or relating to a word that throws an accent back onto the preceding word

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noun

1. an enclitic word or linguistic form

Other Word Forms

• enclitically adverb

Etymology

Origin of enclitic

1650–60; < Late Latin encliticus < Greek enklitikós, equivalent to en- en- ² + klít ( os ) slope + -ikos -ic

Example Sentences

He settled Hoti's business�let it be!�Properly based Oun� Gave us the doctrine of the enclitic De .

From Time Magazine Archive

Properly based Oun— 130 Gave us the doctrine of the enclitic De, Dead from the waist down.

From Dramatic Romances by Browning, Robert

“And yet,” which must be read, anyĕt, is an instance of the enclitic force in an accented monosyllable.

From Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, Beaumont and Fletcher by Coleridge, Samuel Taylor

Browning’s intimate knowledge of Greek was shown by the phrase “gave us the doctrine of the enclitic De.”

From Browning and the Dramatic Monologue by Curry, S. S. (Samuel Silas)

In utră�que, each, and plēră�que, most, -que is not properly an enclitic; yet these words accent the penult, owing to the influence of their other cases,—ut�rque, utr�mque, plēr�mque.

From New Latin Grammar by Bennett, Charles E. (Charles Edwin)