from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
apheresis
n 1: (linguistics) omission at the beginning of a word as in
`coon' for `raccoon' or `till' for `until' [syn:
{aphaeresis}, {apheresis}]
2: a procedure in which blood is drawn and separated into its
components by dialysis; some are retained and the rest are
returned to the donor by transfusion [syn: {apheresis},
{pheresis}]
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Apheresis \A*pher"e*sis\ (?; 277), n. [L. aphaeresis, Gr. ?, fr.
? to take away; ? + ? to take.]
1. (Gram.) The dropping of a letter or syllable from the
beginning of a word; e. g., cute for acute.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Surg.) An operation by which any part is separated from
the rest. [Obs.] --Dunglison.
[1913 Webster]