Aphodius (afodius)

[NL., mostly small, having striate elytra, meta [Not in use.] unintentional removal of a short unaccented vowel at the beginning of a word; a special form of apheresis, as in squire for esquire, down for adown, etc. J. A. H. Murray. (N. E. D.) apheta (af'e-tä), n. [ML., being in his career, astrol., the planet dominating the life of the native; the planet which is lord of the house that rules the matter inquired after; the proro gator, significator, or hyleg. The aphetic place is the situation of the Apheta , Hyleg, prorogator, significator, or giver of life, for all have the same meaning. Sibley, Astrology, p. 433.