Definition:
A word formed by dropping one or more syllables from a polysyllabic word, such as cell from cellular phone. See also: Introduction to Etymology: Word Histories. See also: elision.
Etymology:
From the Old Norse, "cut"Examples and Observations:
- "Some of the most common products of clipping are names--Liz, Ron, Rob, Sue, and so on. Clipping is especially popular in the speech of students, where it has yielded forms like prof for professor, phys-ed for physical education, poli-sci for political science, and burger for hamburger. However, many clipped forms have also been accepted in general usage: doc, ad, auto, lab, sub, deli, porn, demo, and condo.
"A more recent example of this sort that has become part of general English vocabulary is fax, from facsimile (meaning 'exact copy or reproduction')."
(W. O'Grady, J. Archibald, M. Aronoff, and J. Rees-Miller, Contemporary Linguistics: An Introduction, 4th ed., Bedford/St. Martin's, 2001) - "As time-savers and breath-savers, clipped words defy the pedants and win their way to respectability. This has been true for a long time--witness piano from pianoforte and cello from violoncello."
(Theodore Bernstein, Miss Thistlebottom's Hobgoblns, 1971) - "Clipping. A part of a word which serves for the whole, such as ad and phone. These examples illustrate the two chief types: the first part is kept (the commoner type, as in demo, exam, pub, Gill) and the last part is kept, as in fridge and flu. There are also several clippings which retain material from more than one part of the word, such as maths (UK), gents, and specs. . . . Several clipped forms also show adaptation, such as fries (from French fried potatoes), Betty (from Elizabeth), and Bill (from William)."
(David Crystal, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, 2nd ed., Cambridge University Press, 2003)
Pronunciation: KLIP-ing
Also Known As: clipped form, clipped word, shortening
