WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Me*tath"e*sis
Part of Speech : n.;
Etymology : [L., fr. Gr. meta`thesis, fr. metatithe`nai to place differently, to transpose; meta` beyond, over + tithe`nai to place, set. See Thesis.]
Definition : 1. (Gram.)

Defn: Transposition, as of the letters or syllables of a word; as, pistris for pristis; meagre for meager.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A mere change in place of a morbid substance, without removal from the body.

3. (Chem.)

Defn: The act, process, or result of exchange, substitution, or replacement of atoms and radicals; thus, by metathesis an acid gives up all or part of its hydrogen, takes on an equivalent amount of a metal or base, and forms a salt.

pl. Metatheses (.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913