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syncopate

 - 2 dictionary results

syn⋅co⋅pate

[sing-kuh-peyt, sin-]
–verb (used with object), -pat⋅ed, -pat⋅ing.
1. Music.
a. to place (the accents) on beats that are normally unaccented.
b. to treat (a passage, piece, etc.) in this way.
2. Grammar. to contract (a word) by omitting one or more sounds from the middle, as in reducing Gloucester to Gloster.

Origin:
1595–1605; < ML syncopātus (ptp. of syncopāre to shorten by syncope). See syncope, -ate 1


syn⋅co⋅pa⋅tor, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To syncopate
syn·co·pate   (sĭng'kə-pāt', sĭn'-)   
tr.v.   syn·co·pat·ed, syn·co·pat·ing, syn·co·pates
  1. Grammar To shorten (a word) by syncope.

  2. Music To modify (rhythm) by syncopation.


[Late Latin syncopāre, syncopāt-, from syncopē, syncope; see syncope.]
syn'co·pa'tor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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