Aposiopesis Definition
ăpə-sīə-pēsĭs
aposiopeses
noun
A sudden breaking off of a thought in the middle of a sentence, as though the speaker were unwilling or unable to continue.
American Heritage
A sudden breaking off of a thought in the middle of a sentence as if one were unable or unwilling to continue (Ex.: the horrors I saw there—but I dare not tell them)
Webster's New World
(rhetoric) An abrupt breaking-off in speech.
Wiktionary
Other Word Forms of Aposiopesis
Noun
Singular:
aposiopesis
Plural:
aposiopesesOrigin of Aposiopesis
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Late Latin aposiōpēsis from Greek from aposiōpān to become silent apo- intensive pref. apo– siōpān to be silent (from siōpē silence)
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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From Latin aposiopesis, from Ancient Greek ἀποσιώπησις (aposiopesis), from ἀποσιωπάω (aposiōpaō, “be silent”), from ἀπό (apo, “off, from”) + σιωπάω (siōpaō, “to be silent”).
From Wiktionary
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