misarticulate
|mis-ar-tic-u-late|
🇺🇸
/ˌmɪsɑrˈtɪkjəˌleɪt/
🇬🇧
/ˌmɪsɑːrˈtɪkjʊleɪt/
speak or express wrongly/unclearly
Etymology
'misarticulate' originates from Modern English, specifically the prefix 'mis-' + 'articulate', where 'mis-' meant 'wrongly' and 'articulate' derives from Latin 'articulatus' (past participle of 'articulare') meaning 'jointed; uttered clearly'.
'articulate' changed from Latin 'articulare' / 'articulatus', passed through Old French and Middle English forms and eventually became the modern English 'articulate'; the negative prefix 'mis-' (also from Old English 'miss-') was attached in Modern English to form 'misarticulate'.
Initially based on 'articulate' meaning 'to utter clearly' with 'mis-' indicating 'wrongly', it has consistently meant 'to speak or express incorrectly or unclearly', and this sense has been stable in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
to pronounce or express (a word, sound, or idea) incorrectly or unclearly.
The speaker tended to misarticulate technical terms, which confused the audience.
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Antonyms
Verb 2
to fail to express (an idea, feeling, or position) clearly or accurately in speech.
He misarticulated his position on the policy, leaving voters unsure of his stance.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/22 08:39