Commonly misused/misspelled words and phrases (Part 31)

There are may words that are often misused or misspelled. Here are some more, with tips on how to use them correctly:

Mucus vs. mucous

Wrong: The flames seared the mucus membranes in his nose.
Right: The flames seared the mucous membranes in his nose.

Mucous (adjective) membranes secrete mucus (noun). Hey, I don’t make this stuff up….

Poo-poo vs. pooh-pooh vs. pupu

Wrong: You always poo-poo new ideas.
Right: You always pooh-pooh new ideas.

Poo-poo is what an infant does in its diaper, while pooh-pooh is what you do to an idea you don’t like. Pupu is a selection of snacks served on a platter in a Chinese restaurant. Just make sure they serve you a pupu platter, and not a poo-poo platter! (I’d ask for my money back on that one….)

Perogative vs. prerogative

Wrong: That’s your perogative.
Right: That’s your prerogative.

Perogative is a simple misspelling of prerogative.

That's it for now. Come back for more next time.

Mark.