different between malapropism vs malapropos

English

Etymology

From the name of Mrs. Malaprop, a character in the play The Rivals (1775) by Richard Brinsley Sheridan + -ism. As dramatic characters in English comic plays of this time often had allusive names, it is likely that Sheridan fashioned the name from malapropos (“inappropriate”). Mrs. Malaprop is perhaps the best-known example of a familiar comedic character archetype who unintentionally substitutes inappropriate but like-sounding words that take on a ludicrous meaning when used incorrectly.

The name Mrs. Malaprop itself comes from French mal à propos which means improperly, amiss, or ill-timed.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?mæl?p??p?z?m/
• (US) enPR: m?l??-prä-p?z-?m, IPA^(key): /?mæl?p???p?z?m/

Noun

malapropism (countable and uncountable, plural malapropisms)

1. (uncountable) The blundering use of an absurdly inappropriate word or expression in place of a similar-sounding one.

   The script employed malapropism to great effect.

2. (countable) An instance of this; malaprop.

   The translator matched every malapropism in the original with one from his own language.

   The humor comes from all the malapropisms.

Synonyms

• (instance of malapropism): malaprop, catachresis

Translations

See also

• Examples of malapropisms
• eggcorn
• folk etymology
• mondegreen
• spoonerism

English

Etymology

From French mal à propos, from mal (“bad, badly”) and à propos (“appropriate, relevant”).

Adjective

malapropos (comparative more malapropos, superlative most malapropos)

1. out of place; inappropriate

Related terms

• apropos
• malapropism

Translations

Adverb

malapropos (comparative more malapropos, superlative most malapropos)

1. out of place; inappropriately

Anagrams

• palampoors