'misunderstanding' originates from the prefix 'mis-' meaning 'wrongly' and the word 'understand' from Old English 'understandan', where 'under' meant 'among' and 'standan' meant 'to stand'.

'understandan' transformed into the Middle English word 'understanden', and eventually became the modern English word 'understand'.

Initially, it meant 'to stand among or comprehend', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'to grasp the meaning of something'.