Eggcorns are all around.

Chances are, you've never heard of eggcorns. But once you know what they are, you'll start noticing them everywhere.

An eggcorn is a special kind of malapropism that makes a certain amount of sense. The word "eggcorn" is itself an eggcorn of "acorn"—because an acorn is shaped something like an egg. Other examples include:

• old-timers' disease instead of Alzheimer's disease
• feeble position instead of fetal position
• self phone instead of cell phone
• internally grateful instead of eternally grateful
• rebel rouser instead of rabble rouser
• cold slaw instead of cole slaw

To see (and contribute to) a long list of eggcorns, visit the Eggcorn Database.*

Are there any eggcorns that you use or notice? Please share!

*I’m popping in on September 25, 2025, to note that the Eggcorn Database seems to have been suspended for some reason! 😩 I’m hoping that it’s a temporary situation.