Mrs. Malaprop is known for her frequent misuse of words, often substituting them with similar-sounding but entirely different words, creating humorous misunderstandings.
The term "malapropism" was coined shortly after the play's premiere, likely by James Gillray, a satirical cartoonist who depicted Mrs. Malaprop in his work.
Therefore, the word "malapropism" is derived from the name of a fictional character who epitomized the act of unintentionally misusing words for comedic effect.