solecism
UK /ˈsɒlɪsɪzəm/ · US /ˈsɑləsɪzəm/ noun
Forms solecisms solœcism soloecism
- noun An error or improper usage.
- noun (grammar) An error in the use of language.
- noun A faux pas or breach of etiquette; a transgression against the norms of expected behavior.
Synonyms
aberration bloomer blooper blunder boner boo-boo break clanger cock-up disadventure error fault faux pas floater flub fluff fuckup gaffe goof howler slip gaucherie
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French solecisme, soloëcisme (French solécisme) or its etymon Latin soloecismus, from Ancient Greek σολοικισμός (soloikismós), from σόλοικος (sóloikos, “speaking incorrectly”), from Σόλοι (Sóloi), an ancient Athenian colony in Cilicia whose inhabitants spoke a dialect regarded by Athenians as a corrupted and barbarous form of Attic Greek. Compare Atticism.
Webster’s 1913
- noun An impropriety or incongruity of language in the combination of words or parts of a sentence; esp., deviation from the idiom of a language or from the rules of syntax.
- noun Any inconsistency, unfitness, absurdity, or impropriety, as in deeds or manners.
Etymology [F. solécisme, L. soloecismus, Gr. soloikismo`s, fr. soloiki`zein to speak or write incorrectly, fr. so`loikos speaking incorrectly, from the corruption of the Attic dialect among the Athenian colonists of So`loi in Cilicia.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “solecism”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details