metathetical

Metathetical is an adjective used in linguistics to describe a type of word formation process. In metathetical derivation, the meaning of a word is changed by rearranging its constituent morphemes. This process is distinct from other types of word formation, such as affixation, which involves adding prefixes or suffixes, or compounding, which involves combining two or more words.

Metathetical derivation is relatively rare in natural languages. One well-known example is the English word "depart" which is derived from the Latin "departire" through metathetical derivation. In this case, the prefix "de-" and the root "part-" were reversed to form the new word "depart." Another example is the English word "revolve," which is derived from the Latin "revolvere" through metathetical derivation.

Metathetical derivation can also occur in other languages. For example, in German, the word "verzeihen" (to forgive) is derived from the word "zeihen" (to draw) through metathetical derivation. In this case, the prefix "ver-" and the root "zeih-" were reversed to form the new word "verzeihen."

Metathetical derivation is an interesting and complex process that plays a significant role in the evolution of language. It allows speakers to create new words with new meanings by rearranging the morphemes of existing words. However, due to its rarity, metathetical derivation is not as well-studied as other types of word formation processes.