catachrestic

1 9.9

To use words in a wrong or forced way that sounds odd

adjective
/ˌkætəˈkrɛstɪk/

Literature

: catacrético

The artist's work was criticized for its catachrestic use of language, which confused the audience.

Examples

Over time, however, this primal metaphor has lost its status as a trope and has become catachrestic.

Academic text (1991)
She would like not to speak against them, but yet she must; note still another metonymization of the poet's act of speaking in the form of a catachrestic reference to a body part:

Academic text (1994)
Many textbooks contain catachrestic phrases that do not accurately convey their intended meanings.
His speech was filled with catachrestic expressions that made it difficult to follow his argument.

Synonyms

catachrestical

vscatachrestic

Literature

9.9

Using words in a wrong or forced way that confuses people

has identical meaning but appears as the longer adjective form

Surface Forms

catachrestic positive

Morphology

catachrestic = catachresis (opaque) = catachresis + tic

Formed regularly from the noun 'catachresis' with the adjective-forming suffix '-tic'; the derivation is morphologically regular though both elements are rare.

Etymology

Catachrestic comes from Greek parts kata- 'against' and chresis 'use', so it originally meant a 'wrong' or 'forced' use of a word. That's why catachrestic describes language that is strained or misused—like a strange metaphor or a word used in the wrong way.