epenthesis

[ uh-pen-thuh-sis ]
/ əˈpɛn θə sɪs /

noun, plural ep·en·the·ses [uh-pen-thuh-seez] /əˈpɛn θəˌsiz/.

the insertion of one or more sounds in the middle of a word, as the schwa in the nonstandard pronunciation [el-uh m] /ˈɛl əm/ of elm.

Origin of epenthesis

1650–60; < Late Latin: insertion of a letter < Greek epénthesis equivalent to ep- ep- + en- en-2 + thésis placing; see thesis

OTHER WORDS FROM epenthesis

ep·en·thet·ic [ep-uh n-thet-ik] /ˌɛp ənˈθɛt ɪk/, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for epenthesis

British Dictionary definitions for epenthesis

epenthesis
/ (ɛˈpɛnθɪsɪs) /

noun plural -ses (-ˌsiːz)

the insertion of a sound or letter into a word

Derived forms of epenthesis

epenthetic (ˌɛpɛnˈθɛtɪk), adjective

Word Origin for epenthesis

C17: via Late Latin from Greek, from epentithenai to insert, from epi- + en- ² + tithenai to place