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.

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verb (used with object)

1. to print incorrectly.

misprint British  

noun

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

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verb

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

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.

Example Sentences

Misprint, mis-print′, v.t. to print wrong.—n. a mistake in printing.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

He wrote an article in Household Words of 1st August 1857, entitled ‘Curious Misprint in the Edinburgh Review,’ in which he turned upon his critic fiercely and sharply. 

From The Problem of 'Edwin Drood' A Study in the Methods of Dickens by Nicoll, W. Robertson

Related Words

• aberration
• blunder
• confusion
• fault
• gaffe
• inaccuracy
• lapse
• miscalculation
• misconception
• misstep
• omission
• oversight
• snafu