\Syn`a*le"pha\, n. [NL., fr. L. synaloepha, Gr. ?,
from ? to melt together; sy`n with + ? to besmear.] (Gram.)
A contraction of syllables by suppressing some vowel or
diphthong at the end of a word, before another vowel or
diphthong; as, th' army, for the army. [Written also
{synal[oe]pha}.]