malapropism
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
A reference to Mrs. Malaprop, a character in the play The Rivals (1775) by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Throughout the play, Mrs. Malaprop uses inappropriate, but like-sounding, words for comic effect. 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".
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Noun
|
Singular |
Plural |
malapropism (plural malapropisms)
- (uncountable) The blundering use of an absurdly inappropriate word or expression in place of a similar sounding one.
- Malapropism is much older as a phenomenon than it is as a word.
- Don't engage in malapropism, if you can help it.
- (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 blundering use of similar-sounding expression): malaprop
[edit] Translations
blundering use of similar-sounding expression
instance of blundering use of similar-sounding expression
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
|
|
[edit] See also
- For examples, see Appendix:Malapropisms.
- eggcorn
- folk etymology
- mondegreen
- spoonerism
- typo
