Where does “catachresis” come from?
catachresis (English) comes from Latin catachrēsis, from Ancient Greek κατάχρησις, from Ancient Greek καταχράομαι, from Ancient Greek κατά, from Ancient Greek καταστερίζω, from Ancient Greek ἀστήρ, from Proto-Hellenic astḗr, from Proto-Indo-European h₂stḗr — to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth.
catachresis (English): A misuse of a word; an application of a term to...
Definitions
- A misuse of a word; an application of a term to...
Ancestry of “catachresis”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | catachrēsis | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | κατάχρησις | analogical use of a word |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | καταχράομαι | to make full use of; to misuse, abuse |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | κατά | |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | καταστερίζω | to place among the stars; I put among the stars |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἀστήρ | a celestial body; illustrious person; starfish |
| 7 | Proto-Hellenic | astḗr | star |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂stḗr | star |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eHs- | to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth |