Acyrologia
Acyrologia (ak-ir-o-lo'-gi-a) is an unintended use of the wrong word often by someone attempting to sound educated or erudite. “O, villain! Thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption for this!” Much Ado About Nothing, 4.2.38. Dogberry used “redemption” instead of “damnation.” The modern term for this figure is malapropism. Malapropism is a neologismA new, deliberately invented word. inspired by the name of the character Mrs. Malaprop, in Richard Sheridan's The Rivals, 1775. Her name is an abbreviated portmanteauA neologism created by combining two words. for mal-appropriate.
Quotes including the Figure of Speech Acyrologia
Let the watch come forth
Read the QuoteDogberry
Let the watch come forth. Masters, I charge you in the
Prince’s name, accuse these men.
First Watchman
This man said, sir, that Don John, the
Prince’s brother, was a villain.
Dogberry
Write down Prince John a villain. Why,
this is flat perjury, to call a prince’s brother villain!