a. and sb. Gram. Also 8 enclytick. [ad. L. enclitic-us, a. Gr. ἐγκλιτικ-ός, f. ἐν on + κλίνειν to lean.]
A. adj. That ‘leans its accent on the preceding word’ (Liddell and Scott): in Greek grammar the distinctive epithet of those words which have no accent, and which (when phonetic laws permit) cause a secondary accent to be laid on the last syllable of the word which they follow. Hence applied to the analogous Latin particles -que, -ve, -ne, etc., and in mod. use (with extension of sense) to those unemphatic words in other langs. that are treated in pronunciation as if forming part of the preceding word.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Enclitick, that inclines or gives back.
1750. Harris, Hermes, I. v. (1786), 85, note. The Diversity between the Contradistinctive Pronouns, and the Enclitic, is not unknown even to the English Tongue.
1855. Browning, Grammarian’s Fun. Gave us the doctrine of the enclitic De.
1857. Rawlinson, Anc. Mon., IV. iv. 227. The pronouns had in certain cases an enclitic form.
B. sb. An enclitic word.
1663. in Bullokar.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 18, ¶ 1. They are busy in making Emendations upon some Encliticks in a Greek Author.
1750. Harris, Hermes, I. v. (1786), 85, note (T.). When we say, Give me Content, the (Me) in this case is a perfect Enclitic.
1878. Parry, Grk. Gram., 175. If several Enclitics come together, each throws its accent on the preceding.
