Hanzou
Grandmaster
My point exactly. No, there is no difference. The definition of 'kata' you cite is NOT what it means. As you noted in your own post - the notion that you (and many non Japanese speakers) have is something you have gleaned from an interest in Okinawan Karate, and does not reflect what the word meant and means in current usage.
Just because you and others who don't speak the language want to misappropriate a word does not make it so. Kata does not equate to Karate style solo movements, anywhere outside of Karate. And as you wold surely be aware, Karate is not the entirety of Japanese martial arts.
And yet when we say “kata” in the context of martial arts, everyone knows what we’re talking about, so this semantic exercise you’re peddling is dumb and a waste of time.