enclitical

1 definition found

enclitical - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Enclitic \En*clit"ic\ ([e^]n*kl[i^]t"[i^]k), Enclitical
  \En*clit"ic*al\ ([e^]n*kl[i^]t"[i^]*kal), a. [L. encliticus, Gr.
     'egkli`tikos, fr. 'egkli`nein to incline; 'en in + kli`nein
     to bend. See In, and Lean, v. i.] (Gram.)
     Affixed; subjoined; -- said of a word or particle which leans
     back upon the preceding word so as to become a part of it,
     and to lose its own independent accent, generally varying
     also the accent of the preceding word.
     [1913 Webster]