01 n. An impropriety or incongruity of language in the combination of words or parts of a sentence; esp., deviation from the idiom of a language …
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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.
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2.
Any inconsistency, unfitness, absurdity, or impropriety, as in deeds or manners.“Caesar, 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.