malaprop

/ˈmæləˌprɑp/

//ˈmæləˌprɑp// adj

"malaprop" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“malaprop” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Characterized by the use of malapropisms.

Corpus desk

Index EN-malaprop · malaprop · English

malaprop · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "M" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for malaprop
PropertyValue
Headwordmalaprop
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈmæləˌprɑp/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “malaprop” in English

malapropsits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

malaprop is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˈmæləˌprɑp/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Characterized by the use of malapropisms.".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for malaprop, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From the name of Mrs. Malaprop, a character in the play The Rivals (1775) by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. See malapropism for more. The correct English form is malaprop, spelled M-A-L-A-P-R-O-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    Characterized by the use of malapropisms.

Etymology

From the name of Mrs. Malaprop, a character in the play The Rivals (1775) by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. See malapropism for more.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "malaprop"?
"malaprop" is spelled M-A-L-A-P-R-O-P. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmæləˌprɑp/.
What does "malaprop" mean?
As an adjective, "malaprop" means: Characterized by the use of malapropisms.
How do you pronounce "malaprop"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "malaprop" is /ˈmæləˌprɑp/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "malaprop"?
From the name of Mrs. Malaprop, a character in the play The Rivals (1775) by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. See malapropism for more. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list