rhotacism
noun
rho·ta·cism
ˈrō-tə-ˌsiz-əm 
1
: a defective pronunciation of r
especially
: substitution of some other sound for that of r
2
linguistics
: the historical change of a voiced consonant sound (such as the alveolar consonants \z\, \d\, \l\ or \n\) to an r-like consonant
Cite this Entry
“Rhotacism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhotacism. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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rhotacism
noun
rho·ta·cism
ˈrōt-ə-ˌsiz-əm
: a defective pronunciation of r
especially
: substitution of some other sound for that of r
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