Glossary of Linguistic Terms

Anthimeria

Definition: 

Anthimeria is the use of a member of one word class as if it were a member of another, thus altering its meaning.

Examples: 

(English)

In the following example, unhair is an example of anthimeria. Although hair is normally used as a noun, in this instance it takes an -un prefix and is used as a verb:

  • “I’ll unhair thy head."(Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, II, v, 64, cited by Corbett 1971 484 )
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