Malapropism

A malapropism is the use of a wrong word in place of a similar-sounding right one, producing an absurd sentence, as in 'a nice arrangement of epithets' for 'a nice arrangement of epitaphs'.

Mrs Malaprop in Sheridan's The Rivals says of someone that she is "as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile". She means alligator. The sentence is wrong, and the character's pride in it is the joke.

How it works

A malapropism swaps a word for another that sounds similar but means something quite different. The effect is comic because the intended sense is still clear, and the substitute is absurd.

• "He is the very pineapple of politeness" for pinnacle.
• "Illiterate him from your memory" for obliterate.
• "A nice derangement of epitaphs" for arrangement of epithets.

The speaker usually reaches for a grand word and misses, so malapropisms are a reliable way to characterise a pompous or insecure person.

How it differs from nearby things

An eggcorn is a misheard phrase that makes a different but plausible sense. A mondegreen is a mishearing, usually of song lyrics. A spoonerism swaps sounds between words. A malapropism swaps one whole word for a wrong lookalike.

Why it matters to a writer or editor

In fiction, a malapropism is a quick, vivid piece of characterisation. Use it sparingly: one a scene is a trait, one a line is a tic. In editing, a real, unintended malapropism is a typo of a different kind, one a spellchecker will not catch, such as "prostate" for "prostrate". Check that every word is the one the writer meant, especially the long, formal ones. For a deliberate relative, see the pun.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the word come from?

From Mrs Malaprop, a character in Richard Brinsley Sheridan's 1775 comedy The Rivals, who constantly misused grand words. Her name comes from the French mal a propos, meaning 'badly suited'.

How is a malapropism different from a pun?

A pun is deliberate and plays on two real meanings. A malapropism is a mistake, or a character's mistake, where a wrong word replaces the right one.

What is an example from everyday speech?

Saying 'for all intensive purposes' for 'for all intents and purposes', or 'a pillar of the community' as 'a pillow of the community'.