misunderstanding

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun putting the wrong interpretation on
  2. noun an understanding of something that is not correct
  3. verb interpret in the wrong way

Etymology

From Middle English mys undirstonding, equivalent to misunderstand + -ing. Compare Dutch misverstand (“misunderstanding”), German Missverständnis (“misunderstanding”), Swedish missförstånd (“misunderstanding”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

misinterpretation, mistaking

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