solecism
[sol-uh-siz-uh m, soh-luh-]
- a nonstandard or ungrammatical usage, as unflammable and they was.
- a breach of good manners or etiquette.
- any error, impropriety, or inconsistency.
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Origin of solecism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for solecism
Contemporary Examples
Do not even consider committing the solecism of serving it with parmigiano.
Historical Examples
It would be a solecism in language to say that any portion of these is not included in the whole.
Le jument est beau was a solecism that could not longer be tolerated.
LavengroGeorge Borrow
His trust was warranted, until Landor detected the solecism.
MiltonSir Walter Alexander Raleigh
The solecism, if such it be, was repeated in Marino Faliero, act iii.
The Works Of Lord Byron, Vol. 3 (of 7)Lord Byron
Well-bred mothers have been known to resent this solecism keenly.
Social LifeMaud C. Cooke
solecism
- the nonstandard use of a grammatical construction
- any mistake, incongruity, or absurdity
- a violation of good manners
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Word Origin
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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for solecism
n.
"gross grammatical error;" loosely "any absurdity or incongruity," 1570s, from Middle French solécisme (16c.), from Latin soloecismus "mistake in speaking or writing," from Greek soloikismos "to speak (Greek) incorrectly," from soloikos "ungrammatical utterance," properly "a speaking like the people of Soloi," an Athenian colony in Cilicia (modern Mezitli in Turkey), whose dialect the Athenians considered barbarous. Related: Solecistic.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper