Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

misprint

American  
[mis-print, mis-print, mis-print] / ˈmɪsˌprɪnt, mɪsˈprɪnt, mɪsˈprɪnt /

noun

  1. a mistake in printing, as an instance of printing a letter or word other than that intended.

verb (used with object)

  1. to print incorrectly.

misprint British  

noun

  1. an error in printing, made through damaged type, careless reading, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to print (a letter) incorrectly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of misprint

First recorded in 1485–95; mis- 1 + print

Explanation

An error in a published text is a misprint. If a newspaper headline reads "Local Sailing Team Wins International Goat Race," that's probably a misprint. At least we hope it is! A mistake in anything that's printed is a misprint. You might also call it a typographical error or typo. Misprints are an embarrassment for the publisher, since they're evidence of a hasty printing job or a lack of careful proofreading. Spelling and grammatical errors (using then instead of than, for example) in books, magazines, or newspapers are common kinds of misprints.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing misprint

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: mis-

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

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.

The toy company quickly apologized for the gaffe, calling the misprint an “unfortunate error.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2024

Reaching the conclusion that what she had on her hands was not what commenters suggested was a "haunted" or "cursed" album, but a comical and likely valuable misprint, she laughed it off.

From Salon • Jul. 12, 2023

The edition donated to the British Heart Foundation is thought to be incredibly rare, featuring a misprint unique to the first version of the record of which there are only 10,000 copies.

From BBC • May 16, 2023

When the NFL released its alphabetical list of combine invitees in late January, some readers may have thought there was a misprint near the bottom of the defensive linemen.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 2, 2023

He looked as though they were discussing a misprint on a bus timetable.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

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.