mischaracterization
|mis-char-ac-ter-i-za-tion|
🇺🇸
/mɪsˌkærəktəraɪˈzeɪʃən/
🇬🇧
/mɪsˌkærəktəraɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/
wrong or misleading description
Etymology
'mischaracterization' originates from English, specifically formed from the prefix 'mis-' + 'characterization', where 'mis-' meant 'wrongly' and 'characterization' derives from 'characterize' (see below).
'characterize' traces back to Greek 'kharaktēr' (κάρακτηρ) via Late Latin and French (e.g. Middle French 'caractériser'), which entered English as 'characterize'; 'mis-' (Old English/Germanic) was prefixed to form 'mischaracterize' and then the noun 'mischaracterization'.
Initially, components like 'character' related to 'a mark or distinctive quality'; over time 'characterize' came to mean 'to describe the character or qualities of', and 'mischaracterization' came to mean 'a wrong or misleading description' in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the action or process of describing or presenting someone or something inaccurately or unfairly.
The campaign suffered from repeated mischaracterization of its proposals in the media.
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Noun 2
a statement, description, or instance that portrays someone or something in a misleading or incorrect way.
Her mischaracterization as uninterested ignored the long hours she had already volunteered.
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Last updated: 2025/12/16 13:00