Word of the Day: MALAPROPISM

A slip of the tongue, irregardless of intent

malapropism (noun) - the incorrect use of a word in place of a similar-sounding word to create a nonsensical phrase, typically unintentional but often humorous [mal-uh-prop-iz-uhm]

BREAKDOWN: By roots alone, the term malapropism can be traced to the French phrase mal à propos meaning ill-suited or inappropriate. However, the term entered the vernacular after the eponymous character Mrs. Malaprop from Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s 1775 play, The Rivals, uttered such memorable lines as, “…promise to forget this fellow – to illiterate (rather than obliterate) him, I say, quite from your memory.” In more recent memory, the former President George W. Bush delivered so many classic malapropisms that they came to be called Bushisms, e.g. “And there is distrust in Washington… I’m sorry it’s the case, and I’ll work hard to try to elevate (rather than alleviate) it.”

“He is the very pine-apple of politeness.” —Mrs. Malaprop

[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily derived from classical roots.]