# catachresis

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌkæt.əˈkɹiː.sɪs/

## Definitions
1. A misuse of a word; an application of a term to something which it does not properly denote.
2. A misuse of a word; an application of a term to something which it does not properly denote.
3. A misapplication or overextension of a figurative or analogical description; a wrongly applied metaphor or trope.

## Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin catachrēsis, borrowed from Ancient Greek κατάχρησις (katákhrēsis, “misuse (of a word)”).

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