Standard Lemma guide

malaphor

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈmæ.lə.fə/
  • UK: /ˈmæl.ə.fɔː/
  • US: /ˈmæl.ə.foɹ/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An idiom blend: an error in which two similar figures of speech are merged, producing an often nonsensical result.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Dundrearyism

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Blend of malapropism + metaphor; attributed to Lawrence Harrison in the Washington Post article "Searching for Malaphors" (Aug. 6, 1976).