aphthong

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Aphthong \Aph"thong\ (?; 277), n. [Gr. ? silent; 'a priv. + ?
   voice, sound, fr. ? to sound.]
   A letter, or a combination of letters, employed in spelling a
   word, but in the pronunciation having no sound. --
   {Aph*thon"gal}, a.
   [1913 Webster]
    

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