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Malapropism

Malapropism

noun

The mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one, often with an amusing effect

The word "malapropism" (and its earlier variant "malaprop") comes from the character "Mrs Malaprop" in The Rivals. Mrs Malaprop frequently misspeaks (to great comic effect) by using words which don't have the meaning that she intends but which sound similar to words that do. 

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