malapropism
Americannoun
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an act or habit of misusing words ridiculously, especially by the confusion of words that are similar in sound.
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an instance of this, as in “Lead the way and we'll precede.”
noun
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the unintentional misuse of a word by confusion with one of similar sound, esp when creating a ridiculous effect, as in I am not under the affluence of alcohol
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the habit of misusing words in this manner
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Mrs. Malaprop, a character in an eighteenth-century British comedy, The Rivals, by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, constantly confuses words. Malapropisms are named after her.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of malapropism
Explanation
A malapropism occurs when you say one word but you mean another, like instead of saying a certain restaurant is prosperous, you say it is preposterous. As you can tell, malapropisms are often humorous, though sometimes the joke is on the speaker. The word malapropism, pronounced "mah-luh-PRAH-pih-zum," comes from the French phrase mal à propos, which means "ill-suited." Playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan must have been thinking of the French phrase when he created his character Mrs. Malaprop, who made audiences howl with laughter when she used the wrong word. Examples include saying "allegory" instead of "alligator," and "illiterate him from your memory" instead of "obliterate."
Vocabulary lists containing malapropism
That’s So Meta: Words About Words
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "M"
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While the World Watched
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Needless to say, the malapropism is completely nonsensical — and therefore hilarious.
From Salon • Feb. 28, 2022
At one point, someone makes accidental reference to “quantum psychics,” a malapropism that perfectly describes Kaufman’s own field of expertise.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 3, 2020
It was the malapropism heard around certain corners of social media.
From Washington Post • Jul. 12, 2019
And for every misattributed malapropism, Berra had a line that truly did put things in a simple, joyful way.
From Slate • Sep. 23, 2015
Winnifred, the girl who beat you in the elementary school spelling bee, raises her hand: Ms. Hardwick, wasn’t Nick supposed to present a malapropism to us today? she whines.
From "Booked" by Kwame Alexander
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
