Beatify/Beautify

[Joanne M. Despres]

On 26 Oct 2003, at 8:14, James A. Landau wrote:

> Twice in the past week I have heard someone in conversation ask whether Rome
> will "beautify" Pope Pius XII.  In neither case was it a play on words.
>
> Is this a common malaprop?  Or have I just been listening to a couple of
> clumsy speakers?
>
>         - Jim Landau

I've never heard "beatify" pronounced that way.  I'd guess it's an
unusual misconstruing of the word.  Your interlocutors musn't have
been Catholic, eh?


>
> :) said Tom, parenthetically.


Joanne M. Despres, Senior Editor
Merriam-Webster, Inc.
jdespres at merriam-webster.com
http://www.merriam-webster.com