Misquoting: meaning, definitions and examples

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misquoting

 

[ mɪsˈkwoʊtɪŋ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

citing incorrectly

Misquoting refers to the act of inaccurately quoting someone or something. This can occur unintentionally due to misunderstanding or can also happen deliberately to distort the original meaning. Misquoting can significantly alter the context of the statement made. It often leads to misinformation and can damage reputations when used in public discourse.

Synonyms

distort, misinterpret, misrepresent

Examples of usage

  • He was misquoting the author's main argument.
  • The journalist was accused of misquoting a public official.
  • In her speech, she risked misquoting historical facts.
  • They often misquote scholars to support their views.

Translations

Translations of the word "misquoting" in other languages:

🇵🇹 citação errada

🇮🇳 गलत उद्धरण

🇩🇪 Falschzitat

🇮🇩 kutipan yang salah

🇺🇦 цитування з помилками

🇵🇱 błędne cytowanie

🇯🇵 誤引用

🇫🇷 mauvaise citation

🇪🇸 cita incorrecta

🇹🇷 yanlış alıntı

🇰🇷 잘못된 인용

🇸🇦 اقتباس غير صحيح

🇨🇿 nesprávné citování

🇸🇰 nesprávne citovanie

🇨🇳 错误引用

🇸🇮 napačno citiranje

🇮🇸 rangar ekki rétt

🇰🇿 қате дәйексөз

🇬🇪 ცუდი ციტირება

🇦🇿 səhv sitat

🇲🇽 cita incorrecta

Word origin

The term 'misquoting' is formed from the prefix 'mis-', which comes from Old English and means 'wrongly' or 'badly', combined with 'quote', which originates from the Latin word 'quotare', meaning 'to mark a number' or 'to set a value'. The use of 'quote' as a verb in English dates back to the late 16th century and initially referred to the act of citing a reference or mention. 'Misquoting' as a concept has evolved particularly in the context of media and communications where accuracy in representation of spoken or written words has become increasingly crucial. The proliferation of digital media and social networks has further highlighted the importance of correct quotations, as misquotes can quickly spread, leading to widespread misconceptions.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #38,995, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.