make position

verb

To cause a syllable that contains a short vowel to scan as metrically long (heavy) instead of metrically short (light) by being positioned immediately after it, without affecting the length of the vowel itself.

OriginLatin syllaba positiōne longa ← Ancient Greek συλλαβὴ μακρὰ θέσει →
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Meanings

verbmake position (third-person singular simple present makes position, present participle making position, simple past and past participle made position)

present singular third person makes position · participle present making position · participle past made position · past made position

  1. intransitivehuman sciencesTo cause a syllable that contains a short vowel to scan as metrically long (heavy) instead of metrically short (light) by being positioned immediately after it, without affecting the length of the vowel itself.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekσυλλαβὴ μακρὰ θέσει
  2. Latinsyllaba positiōne longa“long syllable by position”
  3. Englishmake position

In reference to Latin syllaba positiōne longa (“long syllable by position”), itself a calque of Ancient Greek συλλαβὴ μακρὰ θέσει (sullabḕ makrà thései).

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

make position. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/make%20position

MLA

“make position.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/make%20position. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “make position,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/make%20position.

Source: make position on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.