miscarriage

[ mis-kar-ij; mis-kar-ij ]

noun

1. the expulsion of a fetus before it is viable, especially between the third and seventh months of pregnancy; spontaneous abortion. Compare abortion ( def 1 ).
2. failure to attain the just, right, or desired result:

   a miscarriage of justice.

3. failure of something sent, as a letter, to reach its destination.
4. Chiefly British. transportation of goods not in accordance with the contract of shipment.

miscarriage

/ mɪsˈkærɪdʒ /

noun

1. alsoˈmɪskær- spontaneous expulsion of a fetus from the womb, esp prior to the 20th week of pregnancy
2. an act of mismanagement or failure

   a miscarriage of justice

3. the failure of freight to reach its destination

miscarriage

/ mĭs′kăr′ĭj /

1. The premature, spontaneous expulsion of the products of pregnancy from the uterus, usually in the first trimester.
2. Also called spontaneous abortion

miscarriage

1. A spontaneous and premature expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus before it is capable of surviving on its own.

Notes

Generally, a miscarriage is a failure to achieve a desired end, as in a miscarriage of justice.

Word History and Origins

Origin of miscarriage¹

First recorded in 1605–15; mis- ¹ + carriage

Example Sentences

She’s still taken aback by some of the “very dangerous” messaging the Duggars promoted, such as their statements that Michelle’s use of birth control caused a miscarriage.

From Washington Post

“It would be a gross miscarriage of justice to eliminate the jobs of dedicated public employees for no reason other than a sensationalized newspaper story,” Mike Eliason, an industry council lobbyist, said in testimony to lawmakers.

From ProPublica

In the pain of our loss, my husband and I discovered that in a room of 100 women, 10 to 20 of them will have suffered from miscarriage.

From The Daily Beast

By the fourth episode, Denise and Alicia are divorced after the weight of suffering a miscarriage exacerbates already existing strain on their marriage.

From Washington Post

Her ex Ames, who detransitioned after they broke up, is now expecting a child with his boss Katrina, a cisgender woman who has recently suffered a miscarriage.

From Time

I was at MacDowell three days after the miscarriage and tried to write that piece.

From The Daily Beast

One pregnant woman reported that she suffered a miscarriage after she was kicked by a Border Patrol agent.

From The Daily Beast

But after nearly a year of trying and a miscarriage, she is still not pregnant.

From The Daily Beast

Will we reach a time when only poor women have to worry about miscarriage?

From The Daily Beast

“No one knows this—I had a miscarriage for those weeks that I took off,” she said.

From The Daily Beast

He seemed to fear the miscarriage of some project which he had been contemplating since he had left his mother's house.

From Project Gutenberg

This miscarriage of justice sent dismay into the hearts of his parents.

From Project Gutenberg

To this kind of carelessness and indifference I attribute the miscarriage of many of the plants left here by Captain Cook.

From Project Gutenberg

The utter miscarriage of Germany's plans is, indeed, a fine tribute to Great Britain.

From Project Gutenberg

He could not doubt that Lady Durham's last miscarriage was due to her husband's brutality.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abortion
• mishap