[perh. a. F. cacographie (16th c.), or ad. med.Gr. κακο-γραφία = bad writing. The analogous ὀρθογραφία orthography, καλλιγραφία calligraphy, and some of their derivatives, were used in classical Greek.]
1. Bad writing; bad handwriting. (Opposed to calligraphy).
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Cacography, ill writing, or a writing of evil things.
1760. Swinton, in Phil. Trans., LI. 858. The cacography of the Etruscans, as their rude and uncouth manner of writing is termed.
1864. Burton, Scot Abr., II. 297. The crabbed cacography of the original manuscript.
1864. Daily Tel., 28 June, 5/6. The compositors made very light of cacography.
2. Incorrect spelling; a bad system of spelling, such as that of current English. (Commonly opposed to orthography.)
1580. Baret, Alv., Let. E. We may still wonder and find fault with our Orthographie (or rather Cacographie in deed).
1655. trans. Sorel’s Com. Hist. Francion, I. iii. 63. His clerk used a certain kinde of Cacographie, that admitted a multitude of superfluous letters.
1633. C. Butler, Eng. Gram., in A. J. Ellis, E. E. Pronunc., 155. The cause of this cacography which causeth such difficulty is a causeless affectation of the French dialect.
1806. Southey, Ann. Review, IV. 8. The orthography or rather kakography of many of the names is French.
1820. Blackw. Mag., VIII. 318. A celebrated critic who sometimes condescends to amend my cacography.
Hence Cacographer, a bad writer or speller; Cacographic, -al a., of or pertaining to bad writing or incorrect spelling.
1838. Thackeray, in Athenæum, No. 3099 (1887), 19 March, 383/3. A stupid series of cacographical errors.
1864. Even. Standard, 29. Sept. The most remarkably ungrammatical and cacographical production.
1880. J. A. H. Murray, Addr. Philol. Soc., 35. Before Norman cacographers spelt them with o.
