clipping
n.a shorter version of a word that still has the same meaning. You use this when you turn a long word like 'telephone' into 'phone'.
n.the process of forming a new word by dropping one or more syllables from a longer word without changing its meaning or grammatical category. Also refers to the resulting shortened form itself.
“The word 'exam' is a common clipping of 'examination'.”
“Linguists study clipping to understand how speakers naturally shorten complex words for efficiency in casual conversation.”
“While some clippings like 'bus' have entirely replaced their original forms in common parlance, others like 'info' remain restricted to informal or technical registers.”
Uncountable when referring to the linguistic process; countable when referring to a specific shortened word.
“Using a web of motifs, he gives the most mundane images – a glass of milk, a few nail clippings – an unnerving meaning.”
“We’ve still got all the press clippings now.”
By surface analysis, clip + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.