Definition

A type of mistake where a person uses a word or phrase that sounds similar to the correct one, but has a different meaning, often in a way that makes sense to them.

Example

She said 'old-timer's disease' instead of 'Alzheimer's disease', which is a classic example of an eggcorn.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of the term eggcorn?

Yeah, I think it's when someone mishears a phrase and uses it wrong, right?

Exactly! Like saying 'old-timer's disease' instead of 'Alzheimer's disease'.

That's a perfect example of an eggcorn — it's funny how those mix-ups happen!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Eggcorn is a blend of 'egg' (from Old English 'æg', meaning egg) and 'corn' (from Old English 'corn', meaning grain or seed). The term refers to a type of linguistic error where a word or phrase is replaced with a similar-sounding one that makes sense in context, like 'eggcorn' for 'acorn'.

Memory Tip

Think of 'egg' and 'corn' together, and remember that an eggcorn is a word that sounds like another but is used in a way that makes sense, just like how an egg is a seed of life.

Visually Confused Words