misappropriating
|mis-ap-pro-pri-a-ting|
🇺🇸
/ˌmɪsəˈproʊpriˌeɪt/
🇬🇧
/ˌmɪsəˈprəʊpriˌeɪt/
(misappropriate)
wrongful appropriation
Etymology
'misappropriate' originates from the prefix 'mis-' (Old English/Proto-Germanic), meaning 'wrongly' or 'badly', combined with 'appropriate' which ultimately comes from Latin 'appropriare', where 'ad-' meant 'to' and 'proprius' meant 'one's own'.
'appropriate' comes from Latin 'appropriare' and passed into English via Old French and Middle English as 'appropriate'; the negative prefix 'mis-' was added in English to form 'misappropriate', producing the modern term 'misappropriate'.
Initially the components conveyed 'to make one's own' (from Latin) and the prefix 'mis-' added the sense of doing this wrongly; over time the meaning settled as 'to take or use (especially funds or property) wrongly or unlawfully', and more recently also covers 'taking or using (cultural elements, ideas) inappropriately'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
present participle or gerund form of 'misappropriate'.
Misappropriating public funds is a criminal offense in many jurisdictions.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Verb 2
to dishonestly, illegally, or unjustly take or use (especially money or property entrusted to one's care) for one's own use; to embezzle or divert funds or assets.
The mayor was accused of misappropriating city funds for private projects.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Verb 3
to take or use (elements of another culture, work, or idea) in a way that is inappropriate, insensitive, or without proper acknowledgment — often used in discussions of cultural misappropriation.
The fashion house was criticized for misappropriating traditional patterns without crediting the original communities.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/26 19:14