Epenthetic

/ɛpɛnˈθɛtɪk/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or characterized by epenthesis; describing a sound or letter that has been inserted into a word.

Etymology

From 'epenthesis' plus the adjective suffix '-ic,' following standard English word-formation patterns for creating descriptive adjectives from technical terms.

Kelly Says

That mysterious 'p' in 'something' when people say 'somthing' with an epenthetic 'p' is a great example—linguists use 'epenthetic' to explain these tiny sound insertions that happen naturally in speech!

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