proclitic
noun
pro·clit·ic
(ˌ)prō-ˈkli-tik 
plural proclitics
: a clitic that is associated with a following word : a word that is treated in pronunciation as forming a part of a following word and that is often unaccented or contracted
A proclitic is a word that is so closely connected to the sound of the word that follows it that you end up mashing up the two words.—
Curtis Honeycutt
Curtis HoneycuttNote: The words y'all and 'tis contain easily recognized proclitics: y for you in y'all and t for it in 'tis. Others (such as those involving the truncation of "to" to "t" when occurring before a verb) may be less obvious. Proclitics are often heard in speech but are infrequently transcribed into print.
compare enclitic
proclitic
adjective
Dictionary Entries Near proclitic
Cite this Entry
“Proclitic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proclitic. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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