# cacozelia

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A stylistic affectation of diction, such as throwing in foreign words to appear learned.
2. Bad taste in words or selection of metaphor, either to make the facts appear worse or to disgust the auditors.

## Etymology
From Latin cacozēlia (“a bad, faulty, awkward imitation”), from Ancient Greek κᾰκοζηλία (kăkozēlía, “unhappy imitation, affectation”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cacozelia