malapropism
noun
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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 comes from this blundering character's name, which Sheridan took from the French term mal à propos, meaning "inappropriate."
Examples of malapropism in a Sentence
Thr Staff, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Dec. 2024
There is so much of it — aside from the goofy malapropisms Dementus is given to, there isn’t a lot of dialogue.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 17 May 2024
One of the play’s best scenes captures the early banter of the two men, full of vulgarities, malapropisms and cultural misunderstandings.
—Randy McMullen, The Mercury News, 23 Mar. 2024
Some insist on preserving every malapropism as their own voice.
—Boris Kachka, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2023
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What is a Malaprop?
We'll tell you all the perpendiculars
Cite this Entry
“Malapropism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malapropism. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
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