epithesis

/ˌɛpɪˈθiːsɪs/

//ˌɛpɪˈθiːsɪs// noun

"epithesis" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“epithesis” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The addition of a letter or sound at the end of a word, without changing its meaning.

Corpus desk

Index EN-epithesis · epithesis · English

epithesis · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "E" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for epithesis
PropertyValue
Headwordepithesis
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɛpɪˈθiːsɪs/
Letters9
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “epithesis” in English

epithesisfalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

epithesis is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˌɛpɪˈθiːsɪs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for epithesis in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Ancient Greek ἐπίθεσις (epíthesis). The correct English form is epithesis, spelled E-P-I-T-H-E-S-I-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    The addition of a letter or sound at the end of a word, without changing its meaning.
  2. 2
    The surgical correction of deformity or of crooked limbs.
  3. 3
    A splint or other appliance to be worn.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how epithesis appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Some linguists distinguish between epenthesis, addition within a word, and epithesis, addition at the end.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἐπίθεσις (epíthesis).

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "epithesis"?
"epithesis" is spelled E-P-I-T-H-E-S-I-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɛpɪˈθiːsɪs/.
What does "epithesis" mean?
As a noun, "epithesis" means: The addition of a letter or sound at the end of a word, without changing its meaning.
How do you pronounce "epithesis"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "epithesis" is /ˌɛpɪˈθiːsɪs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "epithesis"?
From Ancient Greek ἐπίθεσις (epíthesis). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list