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misnomer

misnomer

19 7.7
A name that does not describe something correctly
  • noun
  • /ˌmɪsˈnoʊmər/
translation icon : nombre inapropiado
  • The term is a misnomer.
  • somewhat of a misnomer
  • really a misnomer

So common sense is a bit of a misnomer there.

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Examples

  • So it's called noise, which is kind of a misnomer in the pattern.

  • Calling the movie "The Fast and the Furious" a documentary is a complete misnomer.

  • So common sense is a bit of a misnomer there.

  • I caught the misnomer in telling myself that I was going back home.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • "Studies" was something of a misnomer in both cases.

    Academic text (2000)
  • This is a big misnomer and big mistake in biology.

  • The word "band" would be, in this context, something of a misnomer.

  • Not long ago, the idea of contemporary art from Africa seemed a misnomer, even an oxymoron.

    Academic text (1993)
  • The term chaos theory is somewhat of a misnomer because the new discoveries are more about order than chaos.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Social amoebas are also known as "cellular slime molds," but the name is a misnomer.

    Academic text (2007)

Synonyms

misidentification
vsmisnomer
3 6.7

A mistake when someone identifies the wrong person or object

focuses on an incorrect label rather than a mistaken recognition
misnaming
vsmisnomer
6.0

Using the wrong name for someone or something

is the incorrect name that results from that action

How Correct

term
4.1
misnomer
19 7.7

Surface Forms

misnomer singular
misnomers plural

Morphology

misnomer = name (semi-transparent) = mis + nomer

The meaning 'wrong name' follows from the prefix 'mis-' plus the notion of 'name', but the actual root form 'nomer' is not a modern standalone word, so the relation is not fully transparent for learners.

Etymology

The word misnomer comes from the parts mis- meaning 'wrong' and nomen meaning 'name', so it literally means a 'wrong name', for example calling a koala a bear. That's why a misnomer is a wrong or not suitable name for something.