syn·co·pe 
(sĭngkə-pē, sĭn-)
(sĭngkə-pē, sĭn-)n.
1. Grammar The shortening of a word by omission of a sound, letter, or syllable from the middle of the word; for example, bos'n for boatswain.
2. Medicine A brief loss of consciousness caused by inadequate blood flow to the brain.
[Middle English sincopis, from sincopene, from Late Latin syncopēn, accusative of syncopē, from Greek sunkopē, from sunkoptein, to cut short : sun-, syn- + koptein, to strike.]
synco·pal (sĭngkə-pəl, sĭn-), syn·copic (sĭn-kŏpĭk) adj.