Word of the Day - 02/16/26
tmesis
/ˈtmiːsɪs/(n.): the insertion of one or more words between the components of a compound word
I am abso-freaking-lutely delighted to see you!
Word Origin
The word 'tmesis' originates from the Ancient Greek word 'τμῆσις' (tmêsis), meaning 'a cutting, a cutting asunder, division'. It is derived from the Greek verb 'τέμνω' (témnō), which means 'to cut'. The word can be broken down into 'tme-' (from 'τέμνω', to cut) and '-sis' (a suffix forming nouns of action or process).
Many English words share the same Greek root 'τέμνω' (témnō) or its related forms. Examples include: 'anatomy' (from Greek 'ἀνατομή' meaning 'a cutting up'), 'atom' (from Greek 'ἄτομος' meaning 'uncuttable'), 'dichotomy' (from Greek 'διχοτομία' meaning 'a cutting in two'), 'entomology' (from Greek 'ἔντομος' meaning 'cut into, segmented'), 'epitome' (from Greek 'ἐπιτομή' meaning 'an abridgment, a cutting short'), 'lithotomy' (from Greek 'λίθος' meaning 'stone' + 'τέμνω' meaning 'to cut'), and 'phlebotomy' (from Greek 'φλέψ' meaning 'vein' + 'τέμνω' meaning 'to cut').