misrepresentation['mis

UK: ˌmɪsˌreprɪzenˈteɪʃən | US: ˌmɪsˌreprɪzenˈteɪʃən

Definition

  1. n. the action or offense of giving a false or misleading account of the nature of something.

  2. n. (Law) a false statement of fact made by one party to another, which induces the other party to enter into a contract.

Structure
mis <wrong/bad>represent <show/portray>ation <noun suffix>
Etymology

The word combines three morphemes:

  1. "mis-" (Old English, from Proto-Germanic *missa-, meaning "wrong" or "badly").
  2. "represent" (Latin repraesentare, from re- "again" + praesentare "to present").
  3. "-ation" (Latin -atio, forming nouns indicating an action or process).
    The term evolved in legal and general English to describe the act of falsely portraying facts, emphasizing intentional or negligent distortion.
Examples

  1. The advertisement was pulled for blatant misrepresentation of the product's capabilities.

  2. His testimony was deemed a misrepresentation of the actual events.

  3. The contract was voided due to fraudulent misrepresentation.

  4. Journalists must avoid misrepresentation to maintain credibility.

  5. The artist sued the gallery for misrepresentation of her work's origins.