enclitic

 
Pronunciation: /ɪnˈklɪtɪk, ɛn-/

noun

Linguistics
  • a word pronounced with so little emphasis that it is shortened and forms part of the preceding word, for example n’t in can’t. Compare with proclitic.

Derivatives

enclitically

adverb

Origin:

mid 17th century: via late Latin from Greek enklitikos, from enklinein 'lean on', from en- 'in, on' + klinein 'to lean'