malapropism
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] 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’”). 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.)
[edit] Pronunciation
- (RP) IPA: /ˈmæləprɒpɪzəm/, SAMPA: /"m{l@prQpIz@m/
- (US) enPR: mălʹə-prä-pĭz-əm, IPA: /ˈmæləprɑːpɪzəm/, SAMPA: /"m{l@prA:pIsz@m/
- Audio (US)help, file
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
malapropism (plural malapropisms)
- (uncountable) The blundering use of an absurdly inappropriate word or expression in place of a similar sounding one.
- The script employed malapropism to great effect.
- Malapropism is much older as a phenomenon than it is as a word.
- (countable) An instance of this.
- The translator matched every malapropism in the original with one from his own language.
- The humor comes from all the malapropisms.
[edit] Synonyms
- (instance of malapropism): malaprop
[edit] Translations
the blundering use of a similar-sounding expression
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