metacism
(ˈmɛtəsɪz(ə)m)
[ad. late L. metacism-us, corruptly ad. late Gr. µυτακισµός ‘fondness for the letter µ’ (L. & Sc.), f. µῦ the name of the letter. Cf. itacism.]
The placing of a word with final m before a word beginning with a vowel; regarded as a fault in Latin prose composition.
This is the sense in the original of quot. 1844; but the grammarians explain metacismus or myotacismus as the fault of pronouncing a final m which ought to be elided before a following vowel.
| [1656 Blount Glossogr., Metacism, a fault in pronouncing.] 1844 tr. St. Gregory's Morals on Job I. Epist. 11, I do not escape the collisions of metacism. |