metachronism

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/məˈtækɹənɪz(ə)m/

noun

An error in chronological ordering in which a character or an event is placed at too late a time.

OriginAncient Greek μετά →
Scrabble 21
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Meanings

nounmetachronism (plural metachronisms)

plural metachronisms

  1. An error in chronological ordering in which a character or an event is placed at too late a time.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekμετά“after, behind”
  2. Englishmetachronism

From Ancient Greek μετά (metá, “after, behind”) + χρόνος (khrónos, “time”) + -ism.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French métachronisme
  • métachronismeerror
Italian metacronismo
  • metacronismoerror
Cite this entry
APA

metachronism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metachronism

MLA

“metachronism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metachronism. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “metachronism,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/metachronism.

Source: metachronism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.