English edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Late Latin metathesis, from Ancient Greek μετάθεσις (metáthesis), from μετά (metá, among) +‎ θέσις (thésis, placement).

Pronunciation edit

  • (UK) IPA(key): /mə.ˈtæ.θə.sɪs/
  • (US) IPA(key): /mə.ˈtæ.θə.sɪs/, [mə.ˈtʰæ.θə.səs], /mɛ.ˈtæ.θə.sɪs/, [mɛ.ˈtʰæ.θə.sɪs]
  • (file)

Noun edit

metathesis (countable and uncountable, plural metatheses)

  1. (phonetics, prosody) The transposition of letters, syllables or sounds within a word, such as in ask as /æks/.
    Hyponym: hyperthesis
  2. (inorganic chemistry) The double decomposition of inorganic salts.
  3. (organic chemistry) The breaking and reforming of double bonds in olefins in which substituent groups are swapped.

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Translations edit

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

See also edit

Further reading edit

Anagrams edit