play 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.

Up next

play mrs malaprop
What is a malaprop?

 

We'll tell you all the perpendiculars

play videos pictures in the dictionary
Pictures in the Dictionary

 

The story of those iconic illustrations.

play video old school grammar humorsome
Old-School Grammar

 

Many of today's grammar rules can be traced to the opinions of one 18th century writer.

play image1815466723
How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

 

And is one way more correct than the others?

play alright allright video
Alright vs. All Right

 

Is 'alright' all right?

play video who vs whom
Who vs. Whom

 

Good news for those who feel stuffy saying 'whom.'

play video schwa
The Schwa

 

The most common vowel sound in English causes many spelling problems.