tmesis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Academic/Linguistic
Quick answer
What does “tmesis” mean?
The insertion of one or more words between the parts of a compound word or between syllables of a word.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The insertion of one or more words between the parts of a compound word or between syllables of a word.
A rhetorical device used for emphasis or humor, often in informal speech, and studied in linguistics as a morphological or syntactic phenomenon.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences; the term is used identically in both British and American English.
Connotations
Neutral; denotes a linguistic concept without regional connotations.
Frequency
Equally rare in both varieties, primarily confined to academic or informal contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “tmesis” in a Sentence
tmesis of a wordtmesis in a phraseVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not typically used
Academic
Common in linguistic and rhetorical studies
Everyday
Rare; occasionally in informal speech for emphasis
Technical
Used in phonology, morphology, and stylistics
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “tmesis”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “tmesis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tmesis”
- Mispronouncing as /ˈtɛmɪsɪs/ or with a hard 't' sound, or confusing it with similar terms like 'infixation'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is rare and mostly used for stylistic effect in informal contexts or studied in linguistics.
It is generally avoided in formal writing due to its informal and emphatic nature, but may be discussed in academic texts on language.
A classic example is 'abso-blooming-lutely' (from 'absolutely') in British English or 'a whole nother' (from 'another') in American English.
Tmesis is a specific type of infixation where the inserted element is a separate word, whereas infixation can involve bound morphemes within a word.
The insertion of one or more words between the parts of a compound word or between syllables of a word.
Tmesis: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtmiːsɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtmiːsɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'tmesis' as 'tear me sis' – imagining splitting a word apart like tearing something in the middle.
Conceptual Metaphor
Language as a flexible structure that can be surgically split and inserted into for effect.
Practice
Quiz
What best describes tmesis?