cheshirization
Syllables: che·shir·i·zat·ion/ˌt͡ʃɛʃəɹaɪˈzeɪʃən/
cheshirization noun: synonym of transphonologization (“a type of sound change whereby a phonemic contrast that used to involve a certain feature evolves in such a way that the contrast is preserved, yet becomes associated with a different feature”).
Noun (1)
cheshirization (uncountable)
- Synonym of transphonologization (“a type of sound change whereby a phonemic contrast that used to involve a certain feature evolves in such a way that the contrast is preserved, yet becomes associated with a different feature”).
- For example, Mandarin uses the suffix ɚ < ér 兒 'son' while Cantonese employs tone sandhi, changing the citation tone to high rising tone, the cheshirization of an earlier segmental morpheme meaning 'son'.2006, Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald, Robert M. W. Dixon, Areal Diffusion and Genetic Inheritance, →ISBN, page 344
- Synonyms:
- rephonologization, transphonologization
Noun (2) capitalized: Cheshirization
Cheshirization (uncountable)
- Alternative letter-case form of cheshirization.
Synonyms of cheshirization
Forms of cheshirization
| alternative form | cheshirisation |
|---|---|
| alternative form | Cheshirisation |
| alternative form | Cheshirization |
Origin of cheshirization
From Cheshire (cat) (“fictional cat which disappeared leaving only its smile, from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) by the English author Lewis Carroll (1832–1898)”) + -ization (suffix forming nouns denoting the act, process, or result of doing or making something), coined by the American linguist James Matisoff (born 1937) in a 1991 book chapter entitled “Areal and Universal Dimensions of Grammatization in Lahu”.
Words that rhyme with cheshirization
- station
- collation
- accommodation
- presentation
- derivation
- information
- modulation
- translation
- application
- fixation
- generation
- orientation
48 more rhymesFewer rhymes
- citation
- combination
- communication
- conjugation
- constellation
- determination
- elevation
- operation
- relation
- reservation
- alternation
- condensation
- conversation
- deviation
- excavation
- foliation
- formation
- foundation
- incarnation
- interpretation
- representation
- retardation
- speculation
- termination
- abbreviation
- adaptation
- articulation
- bifurcation
- concentration
- congregation
- declination
- degradation
- expectation
- extenuation
- gradation
- observation
- population
- preparation
- reconciliation
- rotation
- separation
- situation
- vexation
- vindication
- accumulation
- administration
- aggregation
- appropriation
Questions about cheshirization
- What does cheshirization mean?
- Cheshirization means synonym of transphonologization (“a type of sound change whereby a phonemic contrast that used to involve a certain feature evolves in such a way that the contrast is preserved, yet becomes associated with a different feature”).
- What part of speech is cheshirization?
- Cheshirization is a noun.
- How do you pronounce cheshirization?
- Cheshirization is pronounced /ˌt͡ʃɛʃəɹaɪˈzeɪʃən/ (UK).
Words near cheshirization in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: cheshirization (page history and authors); Cheshirization (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-cheshirization.wav.
Cite this entry: “cheshirization.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/cheshirization. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.