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. 1. the nonstandard use of a grammatical construction
   2. any mistake, incongruity, or absurdity
2. a violation of good manners

Derived Forms

• ˌsoleˈcistically, adverb
• ˌsoleˈcistic, adjective
• ˈsolecist, noun

Other Words From

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

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

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

Example Sentences

That said, it’s perhaps worthwhile to have a one-stop shop for all these solecisms, if only for the purpose of debunking them en masse.

From Los Angeles Times

Politicians of all stripes have used opponents’ solecisms to question their intelligence since time immemorial.

From Seattle Times

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

From New York Times

The text is garnished liberally with “sic”s and symbols, typos and solecisms, spellings inconsistent and incoherent.

From Washington Post

For all the dash and raciness of his English, he has a way of lapsing into solecisms, some of which are rather astonishing in view of his general sophistication.

From The New Yorker