misunderstanding

B1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˌmɪsʌndɚˈstændɪŋ/ UK /ˌmɪsʌndəˈstændɪŋ/ See IPA manual

Freq #4379

Meanings

1

noun
A failure to understand something correctly; a mistaken idea about its meaning.

There was a misunderstanding about the time of the meeting.
2

noun
A small disagreement or argument.

The quarrel started from a silly misunderstanding between the two friends.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a failure to understand... misconception mistake misinterpretation

2 noun · a small disagreement or... disagreement quarrel

Word family

Forms misunderstandings

Etymology

From Middle English mys undirstonding, equivalent to misunderstand + -ing. Compare Dutch misverstand (“misunderstanding”), German Missverständnis (“misunderstanding”), Swedish missförstånd (“misunderstanding”).

mys undirstonding Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# misunderstanding

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌmɪsʌndɚˈstændɪŋ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌmɪsʌndəˈstændɪŋ/
**Frequency rank:** 4379

## Meanings
1. A failure to understand something correctly; a mistaken idea about its meaning.
2. A small disagreement or argument.

## Examples
- There was a misunderstanding about the time of the meeting.
- The quarrel started from a silly misunderstanding between the two friends.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: mys undirstonding

## Etymology
From Middle English mys undirstonding, equivalent to misunderstand + -ing. Compare Dutch misverstand (“misunderstanding”), German Missverständnis (“misunderstanding”), Swedish missförstånd (“misunderstanding”).

## AI Etymology
Misunderstanding comes from Middle English mys undirstonding, equivalent to misunderstand + -ing. Compare Dutch misverstand (“misunderstanding”), German Missverständnis (“misunderstanding”), Swedish missförstånd (“misunderstanding”). In present-day English its meanings include a failure to understand something correctly; a mistaken idea about its meaning and a small disagreement or argument.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

markdown