Sekirov Dictionary

misnomer

UK /(ˌ)mɪsˈnəʊmə/US /ˌmɪsˈnoʊməɹ/

noun 4
verb 1
forms 3

noun4

A mistake in the naming of a person or place; a misidentification.
•
A term which is misleading, even if firmly established, technically correct, or both.
- The name Chinese checkers is a misnomer since the game has nothing to do with China.
- The word blackboard as applied to green or brown chalkboards is a misnomer but is not incorrect, as the broad sense of the word is idiomatic.
•
An incorrect use of a term, especially one which is misleading; a misname.
- […] plaintiff's misstyling himself as corporation in initial complaint constituted case of misnomer. — 1994
•
(nonstandard) Something which is asserted not to be true; a mistaken belief, a falsehood, a myth.
- It’s a misnomer that all doctors have bad handwriting.

verb1

To use an incorrect, and especially misleading, name for (someone or something); to misidentify, to misname.

forms

misnomered · misnomering · misnomers

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