The story
Clipping of literally + -o (diminutive suffix). Literally is pronounced (in British English) with a reduced or completely absent ⟨e⟩, which may explain the syncope of the ⟨e⟩ in this term.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Clipping of literally + -o (diminutive suffix). Literally is pronounced (in British English) with a reduced or completely absent ⟨e⟩, which may explain the syncope of the ⟨e⟩ in this term.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.