miscarriage
UK: ˌmɪsˈkær.ɪdʒ | US: ˌmɪsˈker.ɪdʒ
n. 1. The spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before the fetus can survive outside the womb.
n. 2. (Archaic) A failure to deliver or achieve something intended; mismanagement.
The word "miscarriage" combines "mis-" (Old English, meaning "wrongly" or "badly"), "carry" (from Old French "carier," meaning "to transport"), and the suffix "-age" (denoting an action or result). Originally, it referred broadly to any failure or mishap (e.g., "miscarriage of justice"). By the 17th century, it narrowed to its modern medical sense, reflecting the literal idea of a pregnancy "carried wrongly" to term.
She suffered a miscarriage in her first trimester.
The legal system aims to prevent any miscarriage of justice.
(Archaic) The project's miscarriage was blamed on poor planning.
Emotional support is crucial after a miscarriage.
The doctor explained the common causes of early miscarriage.