rhotacism

[ roh-tuh-siz-uhm ]

noun

1. Historical Linguistics. a change of a speech sound, especially (s), to (r), as in the change from Old Latin lases to Latin lares.
2. excessive use of the sound (r), its misarticulation, or the substitution of another sound for it.

rhotacism

/ ˈrəʊtəˌsɪzəm /

noun

1. excessive use or idiosyncratic pronunciation of r

Derived Forms

• ˈrhotacist, noun
• ˌrhotaˈcistic, adjective

Other Words From

• rhota·cistic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rhotacism¹

1825–35; < Greek rhô rho + (io)tacism

Word History and Origins

Origin of rhotacism¹

C19: from New Latin rhōtacismus , from Greek rhōtakizein (verb) from the letter rho