misconception
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of misconception
First recorded in 1655–65; mis- 1 + conception
Explanation
A misconception is a conclusion that's wrong because it's based on faulty thinking or facts that are wrong. Your accusation about your brother's role in that unfortunate event at your party may be based on a misconception. First appearing in the 1660s, the noun misconception comes from the prefix mis-, meaning "bad, wrong," and the word conception, meaning "act of conceiving." A misconception usually results from incorrect thinking or a flawed understanding. Because they don't know the facts, many people have a misconception about how diseases such as AIDS are transmitted. It's a common misconception that Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, when, in fact, he didn't.
Vocabulary lists containing misconception
Power Prefix: mis-
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Eats, Shoots & Leaves
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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.
“A major misconception is that people can just ‘rebuild,’” Espino said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
It also says that it’s a common misconception that Roth IRAs should be the last account tapped in retirement.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 14, 2026
There is a misconception that VAR exists to ensure consistency of decision-making, but this has never been its remit.
From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026
Perhaps a common misconception about non-alcoholic beverages, also known as mocktails, is that they are inherently boring, lacking the flavor complexities found in cocktails.
From Salon • Jan. 18, 2026
Another widespread misconception is that numbers depersonalize or somehow diminish individuality.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
Definitions 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.
