truncation

American  

[truhng-key-shuhn] / trʌŋˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of truncating.

2. the quality or state of being truncated. truncated.

3. Prosody. the omission of one or more unaccented syllables at the beginning or the end of a line of verse.

4. Banking. a system of electronic check recording under which canceled checks are not returned to customers by the bank.

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Usage

What does truncation mean? Truncation is the act or process of truncating—shortening something by removing part of it.It can also mean the state of having been truncated.Truncation can involve the removal of the beginning of something, the end of it, the top of it, or another part of it. In scientific and medical contexts, truncation often involves cutting off a part of something in a way that’s parallel to its base (or perpendicular to its side).In the context of math, to truncate is to shorten a number by dropping some of the digits after the decimal place. For example, 1.356 can be truncated to 1.3. (This is different from rounding, in which the last one or two digits are adjusted in a specified way in order to reflect the magnitude of the original number.)In poetry, truncation refers to the practice of leaving out syllables at the beginning or end of a line.In banking, truncation is used in a more specific way to refer to a simplified system of electronic check recording in which canceled checks are not returned to customers by the bank.Example: Unfortunately, the poor weather has resulted in the truncation of the season.

Other Word Forms

• subtruncation noun

Etymology

Origin of truncation

1570–80; < Late Latin truncātiōn- (stem of truncātiō ), equivalent to Latin truncātus ( truncate ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Dating back to the late 18th century, “hoax” seems to derive from what a conjurer or juggler might say, a truncation of “hocus pocus,” utilized to divert the attention of an audience.

From Salon • Dec. 28, 2025

The main reason for the truncation of a series is that it is not possible to be fitted in because of the need for three days of rest between matches.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2025

In June 1962, Mr. Cerha saw Karl Böhm lead “Lulu” at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna and found the two-act truncation painful to watch.

From New York Times • Feb. 17, 2023

That titular truncation of Woody Guthrie’s iconic anthem signals one of Simon’s compositional strategies.

From Washington Post • Sep. 25, 2022

Alone among retailers he dislikes the sight of cash, declines it, affects to regard it as a coarse ignorant truncation of a budding relationship, begs to be permitted to wait.

From Marriage by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)