METATHESIS - 6 definitions found
metathesis n 1: a linguistic process of transposition of sounds or syllables within a word or words within a sentence 2: a chemical reaction between two compounds in which parts of each are interchanged to form two new compounds (AB+CD=AD+CB) [syn: double decomposition, double decomposition reaction}, metathesis] Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition (2003) metathesis noun (plural metatheses) Etymology: Late Latin, from Greek, from metatithenai to transpose, from meta- + tithenai to place — more at do Date: circa 1538 a change of place or condition: as a. transposition of two phonemes in a word (as in the development of crud from curd or the pronunciation \ˈpər-tē\ for pretty) b. a chemical reaction in which different kinds of molecules exchange parts to form other kinds of molecules • metathetical or metathetic adjective • metathetically adverb Oxford English Reference Dictionary
English Explanatory Dictionary metathesis meˈtæθəsɪs n. (pl. metatheses) 1 Gram. the transposition of sounds or letters in a word. 2 Chem. the interchange of atoms or groups of atoms between two molecules. 3 an instance of either of these. øømetathetic adj. metathetical adj. [LL f. Gk metatithemi transpose] Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) Metathesis \Me*tath"e*sis\, n.; pl. Metatheses. [L., fr. Gr. meta`thesis, fr. metatithe`nai to place differently, to transpose; meta` beyond, over + tithe`nai to place, set. See Thesis.] 1. (Gram.) Transposition, as of the letters or syllables of a word; as, pistris for pristis; meagre for meager. 2. (Med.) A mere change in place of a morbid substance, without removal from the body. 3. (Chem.) The act, process, or result of exchange, substitution, or replacement of atoms and radicals; thus, by metathesis an acid gives up all or part of its hydrogen, takes on an equivalent amount of a metal or base, and forms a salt. |
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