solecism Meaning, Definition & Usage

Sol"e*cism noun

Etymology

F. solécisme, L. soloecismus, Gr. soloikismo`s, fr. soloiki`zein to speak or write incorrectly, fr. so`loikos speaking incorrectly, from the corruption of the Attic dialect among the Athenian colonists of So`loi in Cilicia.

Definitions

1. An impropriety or incongruity of language in the combination of words or parts of a sentence; esp., deviation from the idiom of a language or from the rules of syntax.

   A barbarism may be in one word; a solecism must be of more. Johnson.

2. Any inconsistency, unfitness, absurdity, or impropriety, as in deeds or manners.

   Cæsar, by dismissing his guards and retaining his power, committed a dangerous solecism in politics. C. Middleton.

   The idea of having committed the slightest solecism in politeness was agony to him. Sir W. Scott.

   Syn. -- Barbarism; impropriety; absurdity.