Word of the Day

: July 8, 2014

epenthesis

noun ih-PEN-thuh-sis

What It Means

: the insertion or development of a sound or letter in the body of a word

epenthesis in Context

The "b" in the adjective "nimble" is the result of epenthesis; in Middle English, the word was spelled "nimel."

"When Yogi Bear talks about swiping 'pick-a-nick' baskets in Jellystone Park, it sounds as if he's just having fun, but he's also demonstrating 'epenthesis,' inserting a vowel to avoid the consonants bumping up against each other." - Ruth Walker, The Christian Science Monitor, August 15, 2012

Did You Know?

If you say "film" as "FIL-um," with two syllables, you've committed epenthesis. It isn't a punishable offense-in fact, it's not an offense at all. It is simply a natural way to break up an awkward cluster of consonants. It's easier for some people to say "film" as two syllables instead of one, just as it's easier for some to insert a "b" sound into "cummerbund," pronouncing that word as "CUM-ber-bund."