American writer Sylvia Wright coined mondegreen in her 1954 Harper's Magazine essay “The Death of Lady Mondegreen.” As a child, she heard the ballad line and laid him on the green as and Lady Mondegreen, turning part of the line into an imaginary woman's name.
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A plausible new wording created when spoken or sung words are heard incorrectly.
Examples
- Was that strange phrase intentional, or was it a mondegreen?
- The class compared the original line with three funny mondegreens.
- The subtitle revealed that her favorite lyric was actually a mondegreen.
- His mondegreen turned a sad verse into a cheerful one.
- For years, I sang a mondegreen instead of the song's real opening line.
Similar words
misheard phrase
lyric mishearing
hearing error
aural misperception
misheard lyric
mishearing
Meanings
Plausible wording created by mishearing
noun
language
neutral
A word or phrase produced by hearing spoken or sung words incorrectly, usually creating a different meaning that still seems to make sense.
Examples
- For years, I sang a mondegreen instead of the song's real opening line.
- Was that strange phrase intentional, or was it a mondegreen?
- The subtitle revealed that her favorite lyric was actually a mondegreen.
- His mondegreen turned a sad verse into a cheerful one.
- Not every wrong lyric is a mondegreen because some are remembered incorrectly rather than misheard.
- The class compared the original line with three funny mondegreens.
Similar words
mishearing
misheard phrase
misheard lyric
lyric mishearing
hearing error
aural misperception
Etymology
FAQ
What does mondegreen mean?
A mondegreen is a word or phrase created by mishearing spoken or sung words in a way that produces a different, plausible meaning.
Do mondegreens occur only in songs?
No. Mondegreens are common in lyrics and poetry, but any spoken phrase can be misheard this way.
What is an example of a mondegreen?
Sylvia Wright heard and laid him on the green as and Lady Mondegreen, which gave the phenomenon its name.
How is a mondegreen different from an eggcorn?
A mondegreen begins as a mishearing, often of a lyric or recited line. An eggcorn is a sound-alike replacement that a person understands and repeatedly uses as if it were the established expression.
Is every incorrect song lyric a mondegreen?
No. It must result from mishearing the sounds. A lyric changed deliberately or remembered inaccurately for another reason is not necessarily a mondegreen.
Who coined mondegreen?
American writer Sylvia Wright coined mondegreen in a 1954 essay for Harper's Magazine.
How do you pronounce mondegreen?
In General American English, mondegreen is pronounced /ˈmɑndəˌɡrin/.
What is the plural of mondegreen?
The regular plural is mondegreens.
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