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mrs malaprop
Words at Play

What is a malaprop?

Editor Peter Sokolowski will tell you all the perpendiculars

A malapropism, or malaprop, is the usually unintentionally humorous misuse or distortion of a word or phrase, especially the use of a word sounding somewhat like the one intended but ludicrously wrong in context—like polo bears instead of polar bears.

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What is a malaprop?

 

We'll tell you all the perpendiculars

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How Do You Pronounce 'Groceries'?

 

Is there one standard way?

play contractions
On Contractions of Multiple Words

 

You all would not have guessed some of these

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Why Do People Pronounce It "Nucular"?

 

A linguistic analysis of a notorious pronunciation

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How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

 

And is one way more correct than the others?

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How to Use a Dictionary

 

The best way to find information in the dictionary

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How to Remember 'Affect' and 'Effect'

 

A simple way to keep them apart. (Most of the time.)

Games & Quizzes

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Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
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