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The word for today is…
malapropism (noun) – 1. Ludicrous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with one of similar sound.
2. An example of such misuse.
Source : The Free Dictionary
Etymology : Mrs. Malaprop, a character in Richard Sheridan’s 1775 play The Rivals, was known for her verbal blunders. “He is the very pine-apple of politeness,” she exclaimed, complimenting a courteous young man. Thinking of the geography of contiguous countries, she spoke of the “geometry” of “contagious countries,” and she hoped that her daughter might “reprehend” the true meaning of what she was saying. She regretted that her “affluence ” over her niece was small. The word malapropism derives from this blundering character’s name, which Sheridan took from the French term mal à propos, meaning “inappropriate.”
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