Epenetic

/ˌɛpɪˈnɛtɪk/ adjective

Definition

Relating to epenthesis, the insertion of an extra sound or letter into a word.

Etymology

From Greek 'epenthesis' (from 'epi-' meaning 'upon' and 'enthesis' meaning 'insertion'), describing the linguistic process of adding sounds to words.

Kelly Says

English speakers do this all the time—when you pronounce 'athlete' as 'ath-uh-lete' instead of 'ath-lete,' you're adding an epenetic vowel, a natural shortcut your mouth takes!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.