folk etymology


noun

a modification of a linguistic form according either to a falsely assumed etymology, as Welsh rarebit from Welsh rabbit, or to a historically irrelevant analogy, as bridegroom from bridegome.
a popular but false notion of the origin of a word.

Origin of folk etymology

First recorded in 1880–85

Words nearby folk etymology

Example sentences from the Web for folk etymology

British Dictionary definitions for folk etymology

folk etymology

noun

the gradual change in the form of a word through the influence of a more familiar word or phrase with which it becomes associated, as for example sparrow-grass for asparagus
a popular but erroneous conception of the origin of a word