Misunderstood Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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misunderstood

[หŒmษชsสŒndษ™rหˆstสŠd ]

Definition

Context #1 | Verb

past participle

Misunderstood is the past participle of the verb 'misunderstand.' It means to interpret something incorrectly or to fail to understand something in the way it was intended.

Synonyms

misconstrued, misinterpreted, misread.

Examples of usage

  • I misunderstood the instructions.
  • He felt misunderstood by his peers.
  • The message was misunderstood by many.

Translations

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Origin of 'misunderstood'

The word 'misunderstood' originated in the early 15th century, deriving from the Middle English 'misunderstanden,' where 'mis-' is a prefix meaning 'wrongly' and 'understanden' means 'to understand.' The prefix 'mis-' comes from Old English, where it has been used since around the 11th century to denote incorrectness or error. 'Understand' has roots in the Old English 'understandan,' which literally means 'to stand in the midst of' or 'to stand among,' indicating a deep comprehension. Thus, 'misunderstood' conveys the idea of failing to grasp the intended meaning, highlighting the complexities and challenges of communication throughout history.


Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #10,518, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.