syneresis

/sɪˈnɛrəsɪs/
noun
  1. The contraction of a gel or jelly that causes liquid to separate and come to the surface.
    • The pudding had syneresis, leaving a puddle of liquid around the edges.
    • The yogurt showed syneresis when a layer of watery liquid formed on top.
    • Cheese makers watch for syneresis to know when the curds are ready to be pressed.
  2. In linguistics, the pronunciation of two adjacent vowels as a single syllable.
    • Syneresis can change how we say words like 'real' in casual speech.
    • In some dialects, syneresis turns 'cooperate' into a two-syllable word.
    • Poets sometimes use syneresis to fit words into a meter.
What does "syneresis" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean