SYNALCEPHA (συνάλεσθη, a melting together), is a contraction of syllables, performed principally by suppressing some vowel or diphthong at the end of a word, on account of another vowel or diphthong at the beginning of the next. As, ill' ego, for ille ego, &c.
Contineat' omnes intentique' ora tenebant.—VIRGIL.