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misnomer
[ mis-noh-mer ]
noun
- a misapplied or inappropriate name or designation.
- an error in naming a person or thing.
misnomer
/ ˌmɪsˈnəʊmə /
noun
- an incorrect or unsuitable name or term for a person or thing
- the act of referring to a person by the wrong name
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Confusables Note
Misnomer is not a fancy, more elevated word for mistake. Nor is it a synonym for misstatement, misconception, or misunderstanding. As the word's Latin etymon nōmināre (“to name”) tells us, a misnomer is a special kind of mistake: a wrong name. The consequences of a mistake can range from trivial to catastrophic—from typos to train wrecks. But a misnomer is often just embarrassing, like trying to impress a friend by referring to a Burgundy wine as a “Bordeaux.” Sometimes, however, what began as a misnomer has become a standard term: the game of Chinese checkers does not come from China; the funny bone is a nerve, not a bone; hay fever is not caused by hay and is not a fever; and a pregnant woman's morning sickness can occur at any time of day. Other kinds of mistakes or misunderstandings—giving a driver wrong directions, thinking that the earth is flat, drawing an erroneous conclusion—are not misnomers. In fact, the word misnomer when used to describe a behavioral mistake or a misperception of reality is itself a misnomer!
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Word History and Origins
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Word History and Origins
Origin of misnomer1
C15: via Anglo-Norman from Old French mesnommer to misname, from Latin nōmināre to call by name
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Example Sentences
“It’s a misnomer to say, ‘Oh, it’s the easy way out.’
From Los Angeles Times
If “far” suggests outlier, it has become a misnomer.
From New York Times
“For someone who doesn’t usually use a straw to drink but does have lip wrinkles, using an anti-wrinkle straw is not going to be very helpful,” she continued, “so it’s really a misnomer.”
From New York Times
But critics say referring to them as “less lethal” is a misnomer because the weapons have the potential to cause serious harm.
From Los Angeles Times
The symbol is a consequential misnomer of loss and recovery.
From Salon
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