Katachrese

[kataˈçʁeːzə]

/[kataˈçʁeːzə]/ noun

The verdict

“Katachrese” is uncommon German (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - nicht mehr als solche wahrgenommene Metapher in der Alltagssprache

Corpus desk

Index DE-katachrese · Katachrese · German

Katachrese · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "K" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for Katachrese
PropertyValue
HeadwordKatachrese
LanguageGerman
Part of speechNoun
IPA[kataˈçʁeːzə]
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Langschwanz-Rang von „Katachrese“ im Deutschen

Katachreseliegt außerhalb der 100.000 häufigsten deutschen Wörter, im Langschwanz technischer, archaischer oder seltener Formen, genau dort, wo Schreibzweifeln zuschlagen.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

Katachrese is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed [kataˈçʁeːzə]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Katachrese doesn't appear in our generated misspelling index, a sign its spelling follows regular German conventions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

No documented word history exists for this headword, so spelling patterns must be inferred from the word's phoneme-to-grapheme mapping rather than from a documented borrowing chain. The correct German form is Katachrese, spelled K-A-T-A-C-H-R-E-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    nicht mehr als solche wahrgenommene Metapher in der Alltagssprache
  2. 2
    Verbindung von nicht zusammenpassenden Metaphern (bildlichen Ausdrücken)

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how Katachrese appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. „Für die schönste Katachrese hingegen war vermutlich ungewollt jedoch der gewohnt gut aufgelegte […] Axel Hochschild zuständig: ‚Herr Multhauf, sie sollten da noch mal in sich kehren!‘ Diesem Aufruf zur Grundreinigung ist nichts hinzuzufügen.“
  2. „Auch in der Medizinersprache […] gibt es eine Vielzahl von Metaphern, häufig solche, die knapp an der Katachrese vorbeischrammen.“

Synonyms

ExmetapherBildbruch

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "Katachrese"?
"Katachrese" is spelled K-A-T-A-C-H-R-E-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is [kataˈçʁeːzə].
What does "Katachrese" mean?
As a noun, "Katachrese" means: nicht mehr als solche wahrgenommene Metapher in der Alltagssprache
How do you pronounce "Katachrese"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "Katachrese" is [kataˈçʁeːzə]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "Katachrese" come from?
"Katachrese" is a German word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list