Definitions for: Solecism


[n] a socially awkward or tactless act



Webster (1913) Definition: Sol"e*cism, n.[F. sol['e]cisme, 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.]
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.

C[ae]sar, 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.

Synonyms: faux pas, gaffe, gaucherie, slip

See Also: bloomer, blooper, blunder, boner, boo-boo, botch, bungle, flub, foul-up, fuckup

Try our:
Scrabble Word Finder

Scrabble Cheat

Words With Friends Cheat

Hanging With Friends Cheat

Scramble With Friends Cheat

Ruzzle Cheat



Related Resources:
animals begin with b
animlas that start with g
animals beginning with m