English

Alternative forms

• solœcism (archaic)

Noun

solecism ‎(plural solecisms)

1. An erroneous or improper usage.
   • 1783 July 8, George Washington, Letter to Rev. William Gordon,

     […] to suppose that the general concern of this Country can be directed by thirteen heads, or one head without competent powers, is a solecism, the bad effects of which every Man who has had the practical knowledge to judge from, that I have, is fully convinced of; tho' none perhaps has felt them in so forcible, and distressing a degree.

   • 1869, Noah Haynes Swayne, Supreme Court of the United States, Smythe v. Fiske: Opinion of the Court,

     Why leave the non-enumerated articles, covered by the act of 1864, subject only to this lower rate of duty? Why this distinction? Such a result would, we think, be a solecism, and contrary to the spirit and purpose of the act. It cannot reasonably be supposed that such was the intent of the clause in question.

   • 1881, Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady, Chapter IV,

     For this reason she was fond of seeing great crowds and large stretches of country, of reading about revolutions and wars, of looking at historical pictures--a class of efforts as to which she had often committed the conscious solecism of forgiving them much bad painting for the sake of the subject.

2. (grammar) Error in the use of language.
   • 1911, Metaphor, article in Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition,

     The "simple" metaphor, such as the instance given, becomes the "continued" metaphor when the analogy or similitude is worked out in a series of phrases and expressions based on the primary metaphor; it is in such "continued metaphors" that the solecism of "mixed" metaphors is likely to occur.

3. A faux pas or breach of etiquette; a transgression against the norms of expected behavior.
   • 1778, Fanny Burney, Evelina: Or the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World, Letter LXVIII: EVELINA TO THE REV. MR. VILLARS. Clifton, Sept. 28th.,

     "Best young woman!" repeated Mr. Lovel; "'pon honour, Jack, you have made a most unfortunate speech; however, if Lady Louisa can pardon you,-and her Ladyship is all goodness,-I am sure nobody else can; for you have committed an outrageous solecism in good manners."

   • 1913, Ecclesiastical Architecture, article in Catholic Encyclopedia,

     To build a church for the admiration of "the man the street", who sees it from outside, or of the tourist who pays it a passing visit, or of the artist, or of anyone else whatsoever except that of the faithful who use the church for prayer, the hearing of Mass, and the reception of the sacraments, is to commit a solecism in the liturgy of all the material arts.

   • 1919, H. L. Mencken, The American Language, Chapter 20: Honorifics, footnote,

     In the South every negro preacher is ex officio a D.D., and is commonly addressed as Doctor. This enables white Southerners to show a decent respect for his sacred office, and yet avoid the solecism of calling him Mister.

Related terms

• solecise, solecize
• solecist
• solecistic
• solecistical
• solecistically

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