catachresis
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of catachresis
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin catachrēsis, from Greek katáchrēsis “a misuse or misapplication of a word or phrase” (derivative of katachrêsthai “to misuse”), equivalent to kata- verb prefix implying waste or consumption + chrêsis “use” (noun derivative of chrê(sthai) “to use, need”) + -sis verbal abstract noun suffix. See cata-, -sis
Vocabulary lists containing catachresis
Reading: Literature - Literary Devices & Figures of Speech - High School
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Rhetoric
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Catachresis, incorrect use of a word: My catachrestic family!
From Washington Post • Jul. 5, 2018
Overfunding on Catachresis meant that everyone could be paid a little more.
From Forbes • Aug. 6, 2014
I think Catachresis was successful at that, and I’m trying to hone that in Epanalepsis.
From Forbes • Aug. 6, 2014
I was going to say that he could not call his soul his own; but that would be a Catachresis, and I hate and abominate every thing which begins with cat.
From Olla Podrida by Marryat, Frederick
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
