metempsychosis

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noun

me·​tem·​psy·​cho·​sis mə-ˌtem(p)-si-ˈkō-səs  ˌme-təm-ˌsī- 

: the passing of the soul at death into another body either human or animal

metempsychose

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transitive verb

me·​tem·​psy·​chose

məˈtem(p)sə̇ˌkōs, 

ˌmetə̇mˈsīˌk-, 

-ōz

variants or less commonly metempsychosize

məˌtem(p)sə̇ˈkōˌsīz, 

ˌmetə̇mˌsīˈk-

-ed/-ing/-s

: to translate or transfer (as the soul) from one body to another

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Late Latin, from Greek metempsychōsis, from metempsychousthai to undergo metempsychosis, from meta- + empsychos animate, from en- + psychē soul — more at psych-

Transitive verb

metempsychose, back-formation from Late Latin metempsychosis; metempsychosize from Late Latin metempsychosis + English -ize

First Known Use

Noun

1591, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for metempsychosis

• amyloidosis
• anaplasmosis
• anastomosis
• aponeurosis
• apotheosis
• aspergillosis
• blastomycosis
• coccidiosis
• cryptococcosis
• cysticercosis
• endocytosis
• exocytosis