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Elision meaning in Connections: leaving out a sound

In speech, elision is leaving out a sound or syllable that a fuller pronunciation contains. The term also applies to omitted sounds in verse and, more broadly, to omission. It does not mean only deleting letters from a written word.

Updated

Why this word appears in Connections

In Connections #1219 on October 12, 2026, ELISION belongs with ABBREVIATION, CONTRACTION and NICKNAME in the blue group WORD SHORTENINGS, OFTEN. Elision supplies the sound-omission process. The qualifier OFTEN allows for terms such as nickname, whose examples need not always be shorter than the original.

Puzzles featuring this word

A simple example of elision

Oxford gives a pronunciation of sixth as /sɪkθ/ as an example: part of the fuller sound sequence is left out. The written word can remain sixth even when its pronunciation is shortened. This is why elision is useful for discussing speech, not just spelling.

Merriam-Webster illustrates elision with the short form there's for there is: the ending 's replaces the fuller is. The same expression can be discussed as a contraction because it is a shortened form, and as elision because it omits a sound. The terms can overlap.

Elision, abbreviation and contraction

An abbreviation is a short form of a word or expression, such as AC for air conditioning. A contraction is another kind of short form, such as he's for he is. Elision focuses on what is omitted, especially in pronunciation; it is not a rule that every shortening must use an apostrophe.

A nickname is an alternative or familiar name, and may be a shorter form of a person's name. That explains the puzzle's cautious category title: the four terms can involve shortening, but they are not identical processes. ELISION names a process here; the answer does not ask you to remove letters from the tile ELISION.

How do you pronounce it?

Say ih-LIZH-un, /ɪˈlɪʒn/, with the stress on the second syllable. The middle consonant is the /ʒ/ sound heard in measure.

Where the word comes from

Elision comes from Late Latin elisio, from Latin elidere, meaning to crush out. Oxford traces elidere to elements meaning out and to dash; Merriam-Webster confirms the same Latin word family. The English noun is recorded from the late sixteenth century.

Frequently asked questions

What does ELISION mean in Connections #1219?

It means omission of a sound or part of a word in speech. That shortening idea connects ELISION with ABBREVIATION, CONTRACTION and NICKNAME in WORD SHORTENINGS, OFTEN.

What is a simple example of elision?

Oxford gives pronouncing sixth as /sɪkθ/ as an example of leaving out part of a word's sound. The spelling can stay the same even when a sound is omitted.

Is elision the same as a contraction?

They can overlap, but the emphasis differs. A contraction is a shortened form such as there's for there is; elision describes the omission of sound involved. Elision also occurs in speech without a changed spelling.

Does elision always mean deleting written letters?

No. Its speech sense concerns omitted sounds, and a written word can remain unchanged. Dictionaries also record a broader meaning of omission, so the term is not limited to a letter-deletion puzzle rule.

Sources & further reading