'misappropriation' originates from the prefix 'mis-' meaning 'wrongly' and the word 'appropriate' from Latin 'appropriare', where 'ad-' meant 'to' and 'proprius' meant 'own'.

'appropriare' transformed into the Old French word 'approprier', and eventually became the modern English word 'appropriate'.

Initially, it meant 'to make something one's own', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'wrongfully taking something for oneself'.