misnomer

Where does the word "misnomer" come from? It comes from Latin nomen, passing through Anglo-French before entering English (1400s).

Misnomer’s story begins in Latin: nomen meant “name.” Name, giving rise to nomer (to name). By medieval, the word had taken hold in Anglo-French as mesnomer. Wrongly named, from mes- (wrongly) and nomer (to name). It reached English by 1400s as misnomer. Settled as the English word for a name or term that is wrongly applied. Today, misnomer means a name or term that is incorrectly or inaccurately applied.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient nomen "name", name, giving rise to nomer (to name).
2. Stage 2 · Anglo-French · medieval mesnomer "wrongly named", wrongly named, from mes- (wrongly) and nomer (to name).
3. Stage 3 · English · 1400s misnomer "a name or term that is wrongly applied", settled as the English word for a name or term that is wrongly applied.