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syneresis

syneresis

9.9
Two vowel sounds in a word join to make one syllable, for example the word poet said quickly
  • noun
  • /sɪˈnɛrɪsɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sineresis
  • The word 'poet' can undergo syneresis in rapid speech, sounding like a single syllable.

Examples

  • In poetry, syneresis often occurs when two vowels are pronounced together as one syllable.

  • Linguists study syneresis to understand changes in language pronunciation over time.

  • The term syneresis refers to a specific phonetic phenomenon.

  • In linguistics, syneresis can create a smoother pronunciation.

  • In poetry, syneresis occurs when two adjacent vowels combine to form a single syllable, creating a diphthong.

  • The word 'idea' demonstrates syneresis in casual speech, blending the vowels into one syllable.

  • Linguists often analyze syneresis to explore how vowel combinations can shift in pronunciation.

Synonyms

synaeresis
vssyneresis
  • Specialized
9.9

Pronouncing two vowels next to each other in a word as one vowel sound

has identical meaning but shows the other shorter written form

Surface Forms

syneresis singular
synereses plural

Etymology

Syneresis comes from the prefix syn- meaning 'together', the same root you see in synergy and synchronize. So it literally means 'bringing together', which is a handy image for the linguistic sense where two vowels join into a single sound.