Well-read · Talking & language · Humour & insults
Malapropism: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Malapropism noun. The mistaken use of a word that sounds like the right one, with a comic result.
How to say it
MAL-uh-prop-iz-um/ˈmaləprɒpɪz(ə)m/
5 syllables, stressed on the first (MAL). Forms: malapropisms.
Malapropism in a sentence
'He's a wolf in cheap clothing,' she said, with no idea she'd made a malapropism.
The coach's press conferences were a gift to fans who collected his malapropisms.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- misuse
- slip
- solecism
Where malapropism comes from
From Mrs Malaprop in Sheridan's 1775 play The Rivals, who constantly muddles her words.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
The coach's press conferences were a gift to fans who collected his _____.
- inflection
- malapropism
- euphemism
Show the answer
malapropism: The coach's press conferences were a gift to fans who collected his malapropisms.