paraphasia
n. a speech disturbance characterized by the use of incorrect, distorted, or inappropriate words or sounds, which in some cases resemble the correct word in sound or meaning and in other cases are irrelevant or nonsensical. For example, a wheelchair may be called a “spinning wheel,” and a hypodermic needle might be called a “tie pin.” The disorder occurs in a variety of forms (e.g., literal paraphasia, semantic paraphasia) and is seen most commonly in neurological disorders (e.g., Pick’s disease). Also called paraphrasia. —paraphasic
adj.