Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

mondegreen

Noun

/ˈmɒndɪɡriːn/

Definition

A mondegreen is a mishearing or misinterpretation of a phrase, often resulting in a new meaning that is amusing or nonsensical.

Examples

“Excuse me while I kiss the sky” is often misheard as “Excuse me while I kiss this guy.”
In the poem, ‘laid him on the green’ was transformed into ‘lady Mondegreen’ by many listeners.

Meaning

The term specifically refers to the misinterpretation of song lyrics or poetry, where the listener replaces the original words with similar-sounding words that create a different, often humorous meaning.