Deletion (phonology)

Sound change and alternation
Metathesis Quantitative metathesis
Lenition Consonant gradation Consonant voicing and devoicing Assibilation L-vocalization Debuccalization
Fortition
Epenthesis Anaptyxis Excrescence Prosthesis Paragoge Unpacking Vowel breaking
Elision Apheresis Syncope Apocope Haplology Fusion Cluster reduction
Cheshirization Compensatory lengthening Nasalization Tonogenesis Floating tone
Assimilation Coalescence Coarticulation Palatalization Velarization Labialization Final devoicing Metaphony (vowel harmony, umlaut) Consonant harmony
Dissimilation
Sandhi Liaison, linking R Consonant mutation Tone sandhi Hiatus Synalepha  Elision Crasis Synaeresis and diaeresis Synizesis
Other types Rhotacism Rhinoglottophilia Sulcalization

In linguistics, deletion is the removal of a sound from a word, often for easier pronunciation. For instance, the word infrared is often pronounced [ɪnfərɛd].

Like dissimilation or assimilation, deletion makes a word easier to pronounce.

The opposite is epenthesis, the addition of a sound.

Examples

English

In "infrared" the "r" is deleted and the word is often pronounced [ɪnfərɛd]

French

In French, s in a consonant cluster with a stop (sp, st, sk) after a vowel was deleted. The vowel before the deleted s takes a circumflex or acute.

• Latin hospitāle (neuter of hospitālis) → Old French (h)ostel → Modern French hôtel

• → Modern French hôpital

• Latin status (noun) → Old French estat → Modern French état

• (participle) → Old French estét → Modern French été

• Latin spatha → Old French espee → Modern French épée
• Latin schola → Old French escola → Modern French école