Epenthesis
/ɪˈpɛn.θə.sɪs/noun
The insertion of a sound or letter within a word.
Did you know?Epenthesis comes from Greek and literally means an “insertion,” and in phonology it can appear as a tiny sound that sneaks into speech to make a word easier to pronounce.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἐπένθεσις (epénthesis)
“an insertion or addition”
Late Latin
Latin
epenthesis
“a rhetorical or grammatical insertion”
Middle French
French
épenthèse
“insertion in a word”
16th Century
English
epenthesis
“the insertion of a sound or letter into a word”
Modern English
English
epenthesis
“insertion of a sound or letter within a word”
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