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catachresis

Pronunciation: /ˌkatəˈkriːsɪs/

Definition of catachresis

noun (plural catachreses /-siːz/)

[mass noun]
  • the use of a word in an incorrect way, for example the use of mitigate for militate.

Derivatives

catachrestic


adjective

Origin:

mid 16th century: from Latin, from Greek katakhrēsis, from katakhrēsthai 'misuse', from kata- 'down' (expressing the sense ‘wrongly’) + khrēsthai 'use'

catachresis in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of catachresis in the US English dictionary