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View synonyms for solecism

solecism

[ sol-uh-siz-uhm, soh-luh- ]

noun

  1. a nonstandard or ungrammatical usage, as unflammable and they was.
  2. a breach of good manners or etiquette.
  3. any error, impropriety, or inconsistency.


solecism

/ ˈsɒlɪˌsɪzəm /

noun

    1. the nonstandard use of a grammatical construction
    2. any mistake, incongruity, or absurdity
  1. a violation of good manners
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˌsoleˈcistically, adverb
  • ˌsoleˈcistic, adjective
  • ˈsolecist, noun
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Other Words From

  • sole·cist noun
  • sole·cistic sole·cisti·cal adjective
  • sole·cisti·cal·ly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of solecism1

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; -ic, -ism
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Word History and Origins

Origin of solecism1

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
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Example Sentences

There isn’t space here or time for me to list every solecism in the piece, so I will focus on some of the most egregious errors.

Search online and you will not find an image of Prince Philip committing a style solecism.

If someone tells a friend, “I just got a great new tablet with mobile broadband,” it would hardly be a solecism for the friend to reply, “Great— does your service let me reach you from my landline?”

Modesty, respectability, self-restraint, and blushes may be left at home, for they are useless and somewhat of a hindrance to the matter in hand … If you commit a solecism or a barbarism, let shamelessness be your only remedy.”

An egregious linguistic solecism vitiated the otherwise well-written and informative March 5 news article “Ben Carson to leave HUD at end of Trump’s term.”

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