mis·no·mer

[mis-noh-mer]
noun
1.
a misapplied or inappropriate name or designation.
2.
an error in naming a person or thing.

Origin:
1425–75; late Middle English < Anglo-French, noun use of Middle French mesnomer to misname, equivalent to mes- mis-1 + nomer < Latin nōmināre; see nominate

misnomer, mistake (see synonym study at mistake).
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To misnomer
Collins
World English Dictionary
misnomer (ˌmɪsˈnəʊmə) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  an incorrect or unsuitable name or term for a person or thing
2.  the act of referring to a person by the wrong name
 
[C15: via Anglo-Norman from Old French mesnommer to misname, from Latin nōmināre to call by name]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Misnomer is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

misnomer
mid-15c., from Anglo-Fr., from M.Fr. mesnomer "to misname," from mes- "wrongly" (see mis- (2)) + nomer "to name," from L. nominare "nominate" (see nominate).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Chronic fatigue is in part a misnomer.
Thats probably a misnomer and its the observable universe is expanding.
The nickname would appear to be a misnomer this year.
The name, however, is a bit of a misnomer.
Related Words
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT