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Where does the word "mistake" come from? It comes from Old Norse mistaka, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
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Where does the word "mistake" come from? It comes from Old Norse mistaka, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).
Mistake’s story begins in Old Norse: mistaka meant “to take wrongly.” Literally to take wrongly, from mis- (wrongly) and taka (to take). It reached English by 1300s as mistake. Settled as the English word for an error in judgment or action. Today, mistake means an error in action, judgment, or understanding.
- Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval mistaka "to take wrongly", literally to take wrongly, from mis- (wrongly) and taka (to take).
- Stage 2 · English · 1300s mistake "an error in judgment or action", settled as the English word for an error in judgment or action.