'misadministration' originates from the prefix 'mis-' meaning 'wrongly' and the word 'administration' from Latin 'administratio', where 'ad-' meant 'to' and 'ministrare' meant 'to serve'.

'administratio' transformed into the Old French word 'administracion', and eventually became the modern English word 'administration'. The prefix 'mis-' was added to denote incorrectness.

Initially, it meant 'to serve wrongly', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'incorrect management'.