There’s an easy way to sound smart and edgy in the tech world: First, identify a broad idea that people seem to agree on. Then, cherry-pick a single piece of data that refutes it. Call it a “narrative violation.” And tweet it bumptiously.

Venture capitalists, the tech world’s philosopher-kings, have embraced narrative violations. Earlier this month, Matt Turck, an investor at FirstMark Capital, noticed the term popping up frequently in work conversations.

He wasn’t entirely sure what it meant, so in the tradition of thought-leading V.C.s everywhere, he took to Twitter. He declared “narrative violation” the year’s “V.C. Bingo” buzzword.

The tweeting masses quickly schooled him. A narrative violation, he learned, is a way to express an idea that goes against conventional wisdom. It is a friend of “well, actually,” and a distant cousin to the devil’s advocate. It has been used as an investment framework, a conversational shortcut and, in at least one case, a defining personal identity trait.