Mid 17th century; earliest use found in Henry Lord (b. 1563), clergyman and ethnographer. From post-classical Latin metensomatosis (early 3rd cent. in Tertullian) from Hellenistic Greek μετενσωμάτωσις (in Clement of Alexandria) from μετα- + ἐνσωμάτωσις (from ancient Greek ἐν in + σωματ-, σῶμα body + -ωσις).