Added 10 October 2026

aposiopesis

/ˌæpəsaɪəˈpiːsɪs/ noun

In Latin: praecīsiō, reticentia Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about aposiopesis at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

An abrupt breaking-off in speech, often indicated in print using an ellipsis (…) or an em dash (—).

Origin

From Latin aposiopesis, from Ancient Greek ἀποσιώπησις (aposiṓpēsis), from ἀποσιωπάω (aposiōpáō, “be silent”), from ἀπό (apó, “off, from”) + σιωπάω (siōpáō, “to be silent”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word

aposiopesis

noun ! Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about aposiopesis at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Origin

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about aposiopesis at Wordnik → Where our words come from →