— epenthetic /ep'euhn thet"ik/ , adj.
/euh pen"theuh sis/ , n. , pl. epentheses /-seez'/ .
the insertion of one or more sounds in the middle of a word, as the schwa in the nonstandard pronunciation /el"euhm/ of elm.
[ 1650-60; epénthesis equiv. to ep- EP- + en- EN- 2 + thésis placing; see THESIS ]