mumpsimus en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (General-American) audio
- /ˈmʌmpsɪməs/ (General-American)
Etymology
Malapropism of Latin sumpsimus, form of sūmō (“to take”), from a story of an old monk who misrecited the Eucharist with quod in ōre mumpsimus instead of quod in ōre sumpsimus “which we have taken into the mouth”, and stubbornly continued using the incorrect form even after being corrected. Attested 1530 in The Practice of Prelates by William Tyndale, variously attributed to Richard Pace (1517) or Desiderius Erasmus.
Meanings
- A person who obstinately adheres to old ways in spite of clear evidence that they are wrong; an ignorant and bigoted opponent of reform.
- An obvious error that is obstinately repeated despite correction.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| mumpsimuses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Relateds
wikipedia: Eucharist · wikipedia: Michael Quinion · wikipedia: Desiderius Erasmus · wikipedia: Richard Pace · wikipedia: William Tyndale