malapropism
Preserved but no longer current.
An ignorant, vulgar misapplication of language, so named from Mrs. Malaprop, a character in Sheridan’s famous comedy of the Rivals. Mrs. Partington afterwards succeeded to the mantle of Mrs. Malaprop; but the phrase Partingtonism is as yet uncoined, for the simple reason that Mrs. Malaprop was the original, Mrs. Partington the imitation.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “malapropism” mean?
An ignorant, vulgar misapplication of language, so named from Mrs. Malaprop, a character in Sheridan’s famous comedy of the Rivals. Mrs. Partington afterwards succeeded to the mantle of Mrs. Malaprop; but the phrase Partingtonism is as yet uncoined, for the simple reason that Mrs. Malaprop was the original, Mrs. Partington the imitation.
Is “malapropism” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.