[mal.a.prop.ism] n [Mrs. Malaprop, character noted for her misuse of words in R. B. Sheridan's comedy The Rivals (1775)] (1849) 1: the usu. unintentionally humorous misuse or distortion of a word or phrase; esp: the use of a word sounding somewhat like the one intended but ludicrously wrong in the context
2: malaprop -- mal.a.prop.ist n