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To form or divide into syllables.

The expressing of the sounds of a language by syllables, rather than by an alphabet or by signs for words. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

One who forms or divides words into syllables, or is skilled in doing this.

The union, or drawing together into one syllable, of two vowels that are ordinarily separated in syllabification; synecphonesis; -- the opposite of diæresis.

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.]

To contract, as a word, by taking one or more letters or syllables from the middle; as, "Gloster" is a syncopated form of "Gloucester."

The act of syncopating; the contraction of a word by taking one or more letters or syllables from the middle; syncope.

An elision or retrenchment of one or more letters or syllables from the middle of a word; as, ne'er for never, ev'ry for every.

A contraction of two syllables into one; synizesis.

A contraction of two syllables into one; synecphonesis.

The shortening of the long syllable.

. -- Tau`to*log"ic*al*ly, adv. Tautological echo, an echo that repeats the same sound or syllable many times.

The ending of a word; a final syllable or letter; the part added to a stem in inflection.

Consisting of, or having, four syllables; quadrisyllabic.

The depression of the voice in pronouncing the syllables of a word.

Not having due distinction of syllables, or good articulation; indistinct; as, a thick utterance.

as, this picture has tone. Tone color. (Mus.) see the Note under def. 4, above. -- Tone syllable, an accented syllable. M. Stuart.

the five lines, clefs, signature, etc., of the usual notation, it employs letters and the syllables do, re, mi, etc., variously modified, with other simple signs of duration, of upper or lower octave, etc. See Sol-fa.

A poetic foot of three short syllables, as, mèlì\'dcs.

Three letters united in pronunciation so as to have but one sound, or to form but one syllable, as -ieu in adieu; a triphthong.