Syn'a-lē'phā, n.

n. [Gr. συναλοιφή, a melting together, from συναλείφειν, to melt together, from σύν, with, together, and ἀλείφειν, to besmear, anoint; Fr. synalèphe, Sp. sinalefa, It. sinalefe, sinaleffe.] (Gram.) A contraction of syllables by suppressing some vowel or diphthong at the end of a word, before another vowel or diphthong; as, ill' ego, for ille ego. [Written also synalæpha.]