Where does “malapropism” come from?
malapropism (English) comes from English malapropos, from French mal à propos, from French mal, from Old French mal, from Latin malleus, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-no-, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.
malapropism (English): The blundering use of an absurdly inappropriate...
Definitions
- The blundering use of an absurdly inappropriate...
Ancestry of “malapropism”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | malapropos | out of place; inappropriate; out of place;... |
| 2 | French | mal à propos | inappropriately |
| 3 | French | mal | trouble, difficulty; pain; evil |
| 4 | Old French | mal | evilly; badly; poorly; evil |
| 5 | Latin | malleus | hammer, mallet; a disease of animals; the... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂-no- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |