mumpsimus

American  

[muhmp-suh-muhs] / ˈmʌmp sə məs /

noun

mumpsimuses plural

1. adherence to or persistence in an erroneous use of language, memorization, practice, belief, etc., out of habit or obstinacy (opposed to sumpsimus).

2. a person who persists in a mistaken expression or practice (opposed to sumpsimus).

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mumpsimuses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mumpsimus

First recorded in 1520–30; from a story, perhaps originating with Erasmus, of an illiterate Catholic priest who, while saying the postcommunion prayer at Mass, said mumpsimus rather than sūmpsimus (1st-person plural perfect of Latin sūmere “to take, take up”): “Quod ōre sūmpsimus, Domine, pūrā mente capiāmus” (“What we have taken by mouth, O Lord, may we keep with a pure mind”) and refused to change the word when corrected; see consume ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mumpsimus mumpsimuses

This process of near-homophony has many wonderfully named literary variants, from mondegreen to malapropism, earslip and mumpsimus.

From The Guardian ● Sep. 23, 2014

And now let all defenders of present institutions, however bad they may be—let all violent supporters of their old mumpsimus against any new sumpsimus whatever, listen to a conversation among some undergraduates.

From Julian Home by Farrar, F. W. (Frederic William)

But the epitaphs were trim and sprag, and patent, and pleased the survivors of Thames Ditton above the old mumpsimus of "Afflictions sore."

From The Best Letters of Charles Lamb by Lamb, Charles

So the reformers who call it “mulligatunny” are just as bad as we devotees of mumpsimus and mulligatawny ourselves.

From The Curry Cook's Assistant or, Curries, How to Make Them in England in Their Original Style by Santiagoe, Daniel

In the reign of Henry the Eighth, an old priest was found who for forty years had read the word sumpsimus in his breviary as mumpsimus.

From Robin Tremayne A Story of the Marian Persecution by Holt, Emily Sarah

“I am abundantly ready—only, pray you, let me have a good tilt with the old mumpsimuses first.”

From Robin Tremayne A Story of the Marian Persecution by Holt, Emily Sarah

This story was long popular with the Gospellers, who dubbed the Popish priests mumpsimuses.

From Robin Tremayne A Story of the Marian Persecution by Holt, Emily Sarah