malapropism

Meaning

1. (uncountable) The blundering use of an absurdly inappropriate word or expression in place of a similar-sounding one.
2. (countable) An instance of this; malaprop.

Synonyms

malaprop

misusage

impropriety

mixed metaphor

acyrologia

corruption

bowlderization

error

Translations

malapropismo

verhaspeling

impropriété

perronisme

strafalcione

Malapropismus

malapropisme

κακή χρήση λέξης

barbarisme

sabotage

pataquès

solécisme

balourdises dans la correction

impropriété de langage

abus de langage

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmæləpɹɒpˌɪzəm/

Etymology

From the name of Mrs. Malaprop, a character in the play The Rivals (1775) by Richard Brinsley Sheridan + -ism. As dramatic characters in English comic plays of this time often had allusive names, it is likely that Sheridan fashioned the name from malapropos (“inappropriate; inappropriately”), from French mal à propos. Mrs. Malaprop is perhaps the best-known example of a familiar comedic character archetype who unintentionally substitutes inappropriate but like-sounding words that take on a ludicrous meaning when used incorrectly.