Dictionary

metathesize en · VERB

Etymology

Etymology tree English metathesis Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English metathesize From metathesis + -ize.

Meanings

1. To undergo or to subject to metathesis; of sounds, to switch positions in a word.
   • If the first of two identical consonants in sequence is postconsonantal and the second intervocalic, metathesize the first with the following vowel (geminate roots only). 1962, Gene M. Schramm, An Outline of Classical Arabic Verb Structure, in Language, Vol. 38, No. 4
   • Cases like mu·yh : mu·hyut may be accounted for under a rule that clusters of h plus sonorant metathesize in word-final position. 1939, Morris Swadesh & C. F. Voegelin, A Problem in Phonological Alternation, in Language, Vol. 15, No. 1
   • The significance of noticing the existence of this adjective tharf by the side of the metathesized form thraf is of course apparent 1888, James W. Bright, Thraf-Caik, in Modern Language Notes, Vol. 3, No. 3

Forms

Deriveds

unmetathesized