snowclone


snow·clone

S5561550 (snō′klōn′)n. A phrase or sentence made by substituting one or more words in a cliché, existing set phrase, or well-known sentence.
[From an allusion to an example of such a phrase based on the popular notion that the Eskimos have many words for snow.]

snowclone

(ˈsnəʊˌkləʊn) n (Linguistics) a verbal formula that is adapted for reuse by changing only a few words so that the allusion to the original phrase remains clear[C21: from snow in reference to the common formula 'If the Inuit have N words for snow, then surely X have Y words for Z' + clone]