Syncopation /(?)/

Syn·co·pa·tion

Syncopation

n.
  1. The act of syncopating; the contraction of a word by taking one or more letters or syllables from the middle; syncope. (Gram.)
  2. The act of syncopating; a peculiar figure of rhythm, or rhythmical alteration, which consists in welding into one tone the second half of one beat with the first half of the beat which follows. (Mus.)