'Rhotacism' definitions:

Definition of 'Rhotacism'

From: GCIDE
  • Rhotacism \Rho"ta*cism\, n. [Gr. "rwtaki`zein to use the letter r ([rho]) overmuch: cf. F. rhotacisme.] An oversounding, or a misuse, of the letter r; specifically (Phylol.), the tendency, exhibited in the Indo-European languages, to change s to r, as wese to were. [1913 Webster]