abusage

[ uh-byoo-sij ]

noun

1. improper use of words; unidiomatic or ungrammatical language.

Word History and Origins

Origin of abusage¹

First recorded in 1540–50; abuse + -age

Example Sentences

As Eric Partridge points out in his Usage and Abusage, if you place a full stop after the word “aid” in this passage, the message is unequivocal.

From Literature

This abusage is now so widespread that, in 2015, Instagram banned search results for photographs tagged with an aubergine emoji, fearing it could be used as a signifier of nudity.

From The Guardian

Such techniques may explain how in Sorry! he's able so confidently to cover the history of courtesy, civility, etiquette, privacy, hat-tipping, kissing, hypocrisy, names, name-calling, table manners, the fascinating usage and abusage of the word "sprezzatura", and the rituals of bereavement.

From The Guardian

I have marvelled at the usage and abusage of the English language as it has been applied by various agencies to the jargon of manuals and phrases packed with acronyms.

From BBC

On a round table, the velvet cover of which showed marks of usage and abusage, there were scattered books and writing materials; and my editorial instinct suddenly recognized, with a thrill of apprehension, the loose leaves of an undoubted manuscript.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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• exploitation
• harm
• maltreatment
• mistreatment
• prostitution
• squandering
• waste