elision

noun

eli·​sion i-ˈli-zhən How to pronounce elision (audio)
1
a
: the use of a speech form that lacks a final or initial sound which a variant speech form has (such as 's instead of is in there's)
b
: the omission of an unstressed vowel or syllable in a verse to achieve a uniform metrical pattern
2
: the act or an instance of omitting something : omission

Examples of elision in a Sentence

unfortunately, when the book was condensed, some of the elisions rendered major plot developments incomprehensible
Recent Examples on the Web The movie proceeds by way of hints and winks, understatements and elisions, that are part of a transaction between director and audience: with a word to the wise, the audience gets the idea of Lenny and Felicia that Cooper wants to put out. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2023 In all wunderkammer, there are convenient elisions: of the wealth that built them, of the creators behind the objects, of how these items ended up in European hands. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2024 But even storytellers of a more prosaic bent could learn something from Jackson’s gift for narrative elision and economy, her insistence on the primacy of the visual and her sparing use of music. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2023 The elisions distort every aspect of Cooper’s filmmaking. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2023 And yet even if one corrects for the self-serving elisions of Kissinger’s accounts, there is no denying the extraordinary nature of his accomplishments. Timothy Naftali, Foreign Affairs, 1 Dec. 2023 Payne’s omissions and elisions turn out to be more than just a matter of the current events of 1970. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2023 Perhaps his memoir’s relative elision of their relationship, compared with the dutiful recounting of everything Sonic Youth ever accomplished, mirrors that real-life reticence. Vulture, 20 Oct. 2023 The elision of the line between the dead and the living is a hallmark of Ward’s work. Imani Perry, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elision.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin elision-, elisio, from Latin elidere

First Known Use

circa 1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of elision was circa 1586

Dictionary Entries Near elision

Cite this Entry

“Elision.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elision. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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