aphetic
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- aphetically adverb
- nonaphetic adjective
Etymology
Origin of aphetic
First recorded in 1875–80; from Greek áphet(os) “freed, discharged” ( aphe- + -tos past participle suffix) + -ic; see aphesis
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The name Turney, well known in Nottingham, is from the town of Tournay, or is aphetic for attorney.
From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Weekley, Ernest
Family names like Nash, Nokes are aphetic for atten ash, at the ash, atten oakes, at the oaks.
From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Weekley, Ernest
The scarcity of Groser, grocer, is not surprising, for the word, aphetic for engrosser, originally meaning a wholesale dealer, one who sold en gros, is of comparatively late occurrence.
From The Romance of Names by Weekley, Ernest
The tender of a ship or of a locomotive is the attender, and taint is aphetic for attaint, Fr. atteinte, touch— "I will not poison thee with my attaint."
From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Weekley, Ernest
The spence, aphetic for dispense, is now known only in dialect— "I am gaun to eat my dinner quietly in the spence."
From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Weekley, Ernest
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
