Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In grammar, same as paragoge.
  • noun The rectification of crooked limbs by means of instruments.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The addition of a letter at the end of a word, without changing its sense.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun linguistics The addition of a letter or sound at the end of a word, without changing its meaning, as in "numb" for "num" or "whilst" for "whiles".

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Ancient Greek a putting on.

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Examples

  • From the external rite it is known as the "imposition of hands" (epithesis cheiron), or as "anointing with chrism" (unctio, chrismatio, chrisma, myron).

    The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 4: Clandestinity-Diocesan Chancery 1840-1916 1913

  • Among phonetic changes which occur with more or less regularity are those called aphesis, epenthesis, epithesis, assimilation, dissimilation, and metathesis, convenient terms which are less learned than they appear.

    The Romance of Names Ernest Weekley 1909

Comments

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  • The addition of a letter at the end of a word, without changing its sense; as, numb for num, whilst for whiles.

    July 24, 2008