catachresis

== English == === Alternative forms === catechresis, katachresis (both 17th century; obsolete) === Etymology === Learned borrowing from Latin catachrēsis, borrowed from Ancient Greek κατάχρησις (katákhrēsis, “misuse (of a word)”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌkæt.əˈkɹiː.sɪs/ === Noun === catachresis (countable and uncountable, plural catachreses) Either of two types of misuse of a word or misapplication of a concept. A misuse of a word; an application of a term to something which it does not properly denote. (often, especially) Such a misuse involving some similarity of sound between the misused word and the appropriate word. Near-synonym: malapropism (precisely hyponymous, in which sense only absurd and laughable catachreses are malapropisms) (rhetoric) A misapplication or overextension of a figurative or analogical description; a wrongly applied metaphor or trope. Synonym: abusio ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === See also === === References === == Latin == === Etymology === Borrowed from Ancient Greek κατάχρησις (katákhrēsis, “misuse (of a word)”). === Pronunciation === (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ka.taˈkʰreː.sɪs] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [ka.taˈkrɛː.s̬is] === Noun === catachrēsis f (genitive catachrēsis); third declension (New Latin) catachresis ==== Descendants ==== → English: catachresis → French: catachrèse f