enclitic Hear it!

enclitic definition

en·clitic (en klit′ik)

adjective

Gram. dependent on the preceding word for its stress: said as of a word that has lost its stress in combination (Ex.: man in layman), or of certain particles, as in classical Greek

Etymology: LL encliticus < Gr enklitikos < enklinein, to lean toward, incline < en-, in + klinein, to lean

noun

any such word or particle

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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