More about eggcorn

• While eggcorn is attested as early as the early 19th century, its present sense dates from 2003.
• Eggcorn is a coinage by linguistics professor Geoffrey K. Pullum based on the word acorn, which could be mistaken to be a compound of egg and corn because of acorns’ size and shape.
• Eggcorns tend to reflect common mistakes at the individual level—no matter how widespread these mistakes may be—that do not change the spelling of the mistaken word or phrase.
• Eggcorns are based on logical misunderstandings, so not every misspelling qualifies as an eggcorn.

EXAMPLES OF EGGCORN

• After watching the movie, she couldn’t help but laugh at the eggcorns he made when trying to quote famous lines.
• As a linguistics enthusiast, he found joy in discovering eggcorns that had permeated everyday language, such as “old wise tale” instead of “old wives’ tale.”

More about disparate

• Disparate entered English around 1580-90.
• Disparate comes from the Latin word disparātus, meaning “separated.”
• The dis- element means “not,” while par- comes from the Latin verb parāre, “to prepare, to get ready,” which in this case may be influenced in meaning by the Latin word par, “equal.”

SYNONYMS OF DISPARATE

• separate
• divergent
• incommensurable

EXAMPLES OF DISPARATE

• The team members had disparate opinions on how to approach the problem, resulting in a lengthy and impassioned debate.
• The artist’s latest exhibition showcased a collection of disparate works of art, each representing a unique perspective on the human experience.

More about badinage

• Badinage was first recorded in English around 1650-60.
• Badinage comes from French, from the verb badin(er), meaning “to joke, trifle.”
• Badinage is also a verb in English, meaning “to banter with or tease someone playfully.”

EXAMPLES OF BADINAGE

• During the dinner party, the guests engaged in delightful badinage, exchanging witty remarks and playful banter throughout the evening.
• The comedy show was filled with clever badinage between the stand-up comedian and the audience, making for a laughter-filled experience.