malapropism

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noun mal·a·prop·ism \ ˈma-lə-ˌprä-ˌpi-zəm \

Definition of malapropism

1 :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 the context

"Jesus healing those leopards" is an example of malapropism.

2 :malaprop

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malapropist

play \-ˌprä-pist\ noun

See malapropism defined for English-language learners

malapropism was our Word of the Day on 11/02/2014. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of malapropism from the Web

This means that her characters often talk in winding syntax replete with malapropisms that would dismay Strunk and White.

— ben brantley, New York Times, "Review: ‘Raw Bacon’ Finds Fearful Poetry in an Iraq War Vet’s Mind," 7 June 2017
Yogi Berra was famous for uttering pithy, off-the-cuff malapropisms, little witticisms that were seemingly contradictory, but also somehow wise.

— Longreads, "A Heart That Watches and Receives," 6 June 2017
David is a well-meaning boob who can’t shoot straight (except by accident, through the seat of his pants) and who talks in greeting-card platitudes and awkward malapropisms.

— richard brody, The New Yorker, "Jared Hess’s Spiritual Gross-Out Comedy, in “Masterminds”," 29 Sep. 2016
For years, players like Roberto Clemente or Orestes Miñoso, who was known as Minnie, were quoted in the press in broken English, with reporters exaggerating their malapropisms and mispronunciations.

— jonathan blitzer, New York Times, "Swiping a Screen Rather Than Flip a Page in Baseball AUG. 6, 2016," 6 Aug. 2016
Here is the pronunciation guide to avoiding papal malapropisms.

— michael howard, Esquire, "Here's How to Swear in a Bunch of Languages, Like the Pope," 3 Mar. 2014

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'malapropism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Mrs. Malaprop, a character in Richard Sheridan's 1775 play The Rivals, was known for her verbal blunders. "He is the very pine-apple of politeness," she exclaimed, complimenting a courteous young man. Thinking of the geography of contiguous countries, she spoke of the "geometry" of "contagious countries," and she hoped that her daughter might "reprehend" the true meaning of what she was saying. She regretted that her "affluence" over her niece was small. The word malapropism derives from this blundering character's name, which Sheridan took from the French term mal à propos, meaning "inappropriate."