solecism

[ sol-uh-siz-uhm, soh-luh- ]
See synonyms for: solecismsolecistic on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a nonstandard or ungrammatical usage, as unflammable and they was.

  2. a breach of good manners or etiquette.

  1. any error, impropriety, or inconsistency.

Origin of solecism

1
First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin soloecismus “grammatical mistake,” from Greek soloikismós “incorrect use of language” (whether of individual words or in syntax), equivalent to sóloik(os), adjective formed from Sólo(i) (a city in Cilicia founded by Doric-speaking Greeks from Rhodes, whose local dialect Athenians considered corrupt) + -ik(os) + -ismos; see -ic,-ism

Other words from solecism

  • sol·e·cist, noun
  • sol·e·cis·tic, sol·e·cis·ti·cal, adjective
  • sol·e·cis·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Words that may be confused with solecism

Words Nearby solecism

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How to use solecism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for solecism

solecism

/ (ˈsɒlɪˌsɪzəm) /


noun
    • the nonstandard use of a grammatical construction

    • any mistake, incongruity, or absurdity

  1. a violation of good manners

Origin of solecism

1
C16: from Latin soloecismus, from Greek soloikismos, from soloikos speaking incorrectly, from Soloi an Athenian colony of Cilicia where the inhabitants spoke a corrupt form of Greek

Derived forms of solecism

  • solecist, noun
  • solecistic or solecistical, adjective
  • solecistically, adverb

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