adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of erroneous
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin errōneus “straying,” equivalent to errōn- (stem of errō ) “wanderer” (derivative of err-; see err) + -eus adjective suffix ( see -eous)
Explanation
The adjective erroneous describes something or someone as mistaken and incorrect. Early explorers had the erroneous notion that the oceans were full of dragons. When we talk about being on the "straight and narrow path" we aim to live a truthful and moral life. The Latin root of erroneous, or "to be incorrect" as well as "to be immoral," is errare, which means "to wander." It's clear that we make connections between behavior and direction or space. These two ideas have been linked for a very long time!
Vocabulary lists containing erroneous
Grade 9, List 6
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This Week in Words: January 13 - 19, 2018
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30 GRE Words Beginning with "E" and "F"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He showed screenshots of erroneous AI search summaries to alleged victims, convincing them he was worthy of their trust.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
"If this effect is not accounted for, it can lead to the erroneous conclusion that the expansion rate is accelerating."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 9, 2026
These include technical issues in China qualifying, a safety car turning the race on its head in Japan, a retirement while leading in Canada, and the still-unresolved farrago over erroneous pit-lane speeding penalties in Monaco.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
The data behind the statistics on aging are incomplete or erroneous, leading to skewed reports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
The gentlemanly Oliphant followed up two weeks later with the observation that as little as a single layer of contaminating deutons would produce the erroneous results.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
