Metathesis

Pronunciation: me-ta'-the-sis

Alternate Spelling: transposicio

Definition

The transposition of letters within a word. A kind of metaplasm (and sometimes a kind of paronomasia.)

Examples

Several transpositions of letters in the first two words make possible the last two words of this humorous statement: "Elvis Lives in Evil Levis." American spelling is often simply metathesis applied to the original British spelling: "theatre" becomes "theater" "centre" becomes "center"