I was listening to How Soon Is Now by The Smiths, and he ostensibly says the word criminarily.

"I am the son, and the heir, of a shyness that is criminarily vulgar..."

It's usually translated as criminally in lyrics.

My question is: is there a name for intentionally using a word that sounds almost like an established word but is in some way distorted in place of an established word?

At first I was thinking it was a malapropism but not using an established word which led me to the word barbarism. But this different word usage might be intentional in order to improve the cadence of the song, and if it is then what would it be called? I'm thinking it's just barbarism or a neologism but wondered if there was something more specific, since it is close to an already existing word?

I was listening to "How Soon Is Now" by The Smiths, and he ostensibly says the word criminarily.

"I am the son, and the heir, of a shyness that is criminarily vulgar..."

It's usually transcribed as criminally in lyrics.

My question is: is there a name for intentionally using a word that sounds almost like an established word but is in some way distorted in place of an established word?

At first I was thinking it was a malapropism but not using an established word which led me to the word barbarism. But this different word usage might be intentional in order to improve the cadence of the song, and if it is then what would it be called? I'm thinking it's just barbarism or a neologism but wondered if there was something more specific, since it is close to an already existing word?