malaprop

Also found in: Thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

Related to malaprop: Mrs Malaprop, Dogberryism

mal·a·prop

(măl′ə-prŏp′)

A malapropism.

[After Mrs. Malaprop, , a character in The Rivals, a play by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, from malapropos.]

Word History: "She's as headstrong as an allegory on the banks of the Nile" and "He is the very pineapple of politeness" are two of the absurd pronouncements from Mrs. Malaprop that made her name synonymous with ludicrous misuse of language. A character in Richard Brinsley Sheridan's play The Rivals (1775), Mrs. Malaprop habitually uses words that are malapropos—that is, inappropriate, as in allegory for alligator and pineapple for pinnacle. She makes some of her most outrageous blunders while boasting of her eloquence: "If I reprehend any thing in this world, it is the use of my oracular tongue, and a nice derangement of epitaphs!" For such memorable abuses of the language, Mrs. Malaprop has been enshrined in the words malaprop and malapropism.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun

malaprop - the unintentional misuse of a word by confusion with one that sounds similar

malapropism

misstatement - a statement that contains a mistake

Translations

strafalcione

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

Malaprop" -and there the theatrical proceedings came to a pause.

View in context

"If one could have a fine house, full of nice girls, or go traveling, the summer would be delightful, but to stay at home with three selfish sisters and a grown-up boy was enough to try the patience of a Boaz," complained Miss Malaprop, after several days devoted to pleasure, fretting, and ennui.

View in context

And literature lovers of all backgrounds come here for rejuvenation and author events at nationally renowned bookstores like Malaprop's.

Our Mountain Home

MRS Malaprop was a character in Sheridan's 1775 play The Rivals who had the habit of using the wrong words to comic effect.

CLASSIC LAUGHTER LINES

But then, as a malaprop actress is often quoted, she can never can tell, 'no?

Yes, Odette, you Khan!

And then I opened the comics where I was immediately greeted by dear old friends Bucky and Satchel, dropping their dollops of malaprop like raisins for my peanut butter toast.

Some not amused by comics lineup changes

Aside from becoming a movie star, Melanie was also known for her 'ditziness,' especially her penchant for coming up with 'malaprop' statements that had an unintentionally comedic twist to them ('I'm proud of my long-legged,' etc.).

From pageant stage to silver screen

Playing her aunt, Mrs Malaprop, was the wonderful Julie Legrand whose comic timing was en pointe.

THE RIVALS, CITIZEN'S THEATRE, GLASGOW 05.11.16

Theatre Helen Forrester's Twopence To Cross The Mersey Pyramid & Parr Hall, Palmyra Square South, 01925 442345, - Sat 29 oct The Rivals In the summer streets of Bath, social climber and "pineapple of politeness" Mrs Malaprop is determined to make her niece Lydia Languish a fortuitous match.

WHAT'S ON; News / Reviews CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

In this situation we label the improper word selected as a malaprop. Those in possession of a good vocabulary are quick to note the improper word choice.

Effective ways to promote word power with students

We laugh at malapropisms (Mrs Malaprop was a character in a 1775 Sheridan play).

Hang it all, that Derrick was dead good at his job; PETER DUTTON on the people who made a name for themselves - even if that may not have been quite their intention

Comedian Norm Crosby, the Master of Malaprop, built his act around such wordplay.