catachresis
[/ˌkætəˈkriːsɪs/]
nounfemininepl: catachreses
catacrese
1. A figure of speech involving the strained or incorrect use of a word, especially the application of a term to something it does not properly denote
The phrase 'to surf the internet' is a catachresis, as one cannot literally surf on data waves.
A expressão 'surfar na internet' é uma catacrese, pois não se pode literalmente surfar em ondas de dados.
2. The misuse or abuse of language; an improper or forced application of words
His use of 'literally' to mean 'figuratively' is a common catachresis in modern speech.
Seu uso de 'literalmente' para significar 'figurativamente' é uma catacrese comum na fala moderna.
3. In rhetoric, the use of a word in an entirely new sense to supply a gap in vocabulary
The word 'mouse' as a computer device is a catachresis that filled a lexical gap.
A palavra 'mouse' como dispositivo de computador é uma catacrese que preencheu uma lacuna lexical.
Catachresis is primarily a technical term used in literary criticism, rhetoric, and linguistics rather than in everyday conversation. It is more common in academic contexts in both Brazil and the United States. In modern internet culture, neologisms and forced metaphors (like 'surfing the web') are contemporary examples of catachresis that have become accepted through widespread usage.
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