misnomer
UK: /ˌmɪsˈnəʊmə/ | US: /ˌmɪsˈnoʊmər/
n. a wrong or inaccurate name or designation
n. an incorrect term or label applied to something
misnomer = mis<wrong> + nom<name> + er<noun suffix>
- mis<wrong>: From Old French mes- (wrongly), ultimately from Latin minus (less). Used in English to indicate error or negation (e.g., mislead, mistake).
- nom<name>: From Latin nomen (name), preserved in words like nominate and nomenclature.
- er<noun suffix>: A suffix forming nouns, often indicating agency or association (e.g., teacher, runner).
Etymology Origin:
The word misnomer emerged in Late Middle English (15th century) from Anglo-Norman mesnommer (to misname), blending mis- (wrong) and nommer (to name). It reflects the logical combination of "wrong" + "name," originally describing legal errors in naming documents. Over time, it broadened to denote any inaccurate label. The Latin root nomen ties it to a vast family of naming-related terms (e.g., nominal, anonymous), reinforcing its semantic clarity.
Calling a tomato a vegetable is a common misnomer; botanically, it’s a fruit.
The term "killer whale" is a misnomer, as orcas are actually dolphins.
His title of "director" was a misnomer—he had no real authority.
The "fun run" turned out to be a misnomer for the grueling marathon.
Many historical misnomers persist due to tradition rather than accuracy.