transpose

UK: trænˈspəʊz | US: trænˈspoʊz

Definition
  1. vt. to change the order or position of something

  2. vt. (mathematics) to move a term from one side of an equation to the other

  3. vt. (music) to write or perform a piece in a different key

Structure
trans <across>pose <place>
Etymology

The word "transpose" originates from Latin transponere, combining trans- (meaning "across") and ponere (meaning "to place"). The morpheme trans- appears in many English words (e.g., "transport," "transform"), indicating movement or change across boundaries. Pose derives from ponere, seen in words like "position" and "compose." Together, they logically form "transpose," reflecting the action of moving something from one place or order to another. Over time, its meaning expanded to specialized contexts like mathematics and music.

Examples
  1. The editor asked me to transpose these two paragraphs for better flow.

  2. In algebra, you can transpose terms to simplify the equation.

  3. The pianist decided to transpose the song into a lower key for the singer.

  4. Transposing the columns in the spreadsheet revealed a hidden pattern.

  5. Ancient scribes would sometimes transpose letters accidentally when copying manuscripts.