misnomer

American  

[mis-noh-mer] / mɪsˈnoʊ mər /

noun

misnomers plural

1. a misapplied or inappropriate name or designation.

2. an error in naming a person or thing.

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misnomer British  

/ ˌmɪsˈnəʊmə /

noun

1. an incorrect or unsuitable name or term for a person or thing

2. the act of referring to a person by the wrong name

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Commonly Confused

Misnomer is not a fancy, more elevated word for mistake. Nor is it a synonym for misstatement, misconception, or misunderstanding. As the word's Latin etymon nōmināre (“to name”) tells us, a misnomer is a special kind of mistake: a wrong name. The consequences of a mistake can range from trivial to catastrophic—from typos to train wrecks. But a misnomer is often just embarrassing, like trying to impress a friend by referring to a Burgundy wine as a “Bordeaux.” Sometimes, however, what began as a misnomer has become a standard term: the game of Chinese checkers does not come from China; the funny bone is a nerve, not a bone; hay fever is not caused by hay and is not a fever; and a pregnant woman's morning sickness can occur at any time of day. Other kinds of mistakes or misunderstandings—giving a driver wrong directions, thinking that the earth is flat, drawing an erroneous conclusion—are not misnomers. In fact, the word misnomer when used to describe a behavioral mistake or a misperception of reality is itself a misnomer!

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• misnomers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of misnomer

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Anglo-French, noun use of Middle French mesnomer “to misname,” equivalent to mes- negating prefix + nomer “to name, call by name,” from Latin nōmināre; see mis- ¹, nominate

Explanation

A misnomer is a wrong or unsuitable name. It’s a misnomer to call your grandmother “Grandfather,” the same way it’s a misnomer to call a chair with four legs that doesn’t move unless you drag it across the floor, a rocking chair. From the Middle-French misnomer “to misname” evolved our English misnomer, a noun indicating a lack of fit when it comes to naming. Synonyms include, predictably, misnamed, but also mistermed and miscalled. You’ll notice the repetition of the mis- at the front of all those words. It comes from the French mes-, which means “wrongly.”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

misnomer misnomers

Colin Clark, the director of the Soufan Center, a nonprofit that focuses on foreign policy and terrorism, pointed out in an interview with PBS that the term “narco-terrorism” is a misnomer.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

Empire's John Nugent, external said Johnson's character "feels like an AI interpretation", and to call the film "live action feels like a misnomer" because of the heavy use of animation.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

To someone who pointed out that “Barstow street taco” is a misnomer, Hilton shot back, “It’s what they call it!”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026

Calling Vanguard Wellington a 60/40 fund is inevitable, but also something of a misnomer.

From Barron's ● Apr. 3, 2026

Though a misnomer, his nickname proved to be the one enduring thing about Pollard’s ring career.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

To promote the university’s core mission, the school must clarify its role on campus and challenge misnomers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026

Fire departments operated and financed by local governments increasingly have become misnomers.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 19, 2021

The terms “rose fever” for summer allergies and “hay fever” for autumn are also both misnomers.

From Slate ● May 5, 2015

“There’s been a lot of misnomers about these craft as covert spy tools. ‘Drone’ has become a negative term.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 1, 2014

After it was drafted, Laura typed it up while Yoyo stood by, correcting her mother's misnomers and mis-sayings.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez