-synalepha-

n. [ NL., fr. L. synaloepha, Gr. &unr_;, from &unr_; to melt together; sy`n with + &unr_; to besmear. ] (Gram.) A contraction of syllables by suppressing some vowel or diphthong at the end of a word, before another vowel or diphthong; as, th' army, for the army. [ Written also synaloepha. ] [ 1913 Webster ]