mistranslate
verb
mis·trans·late ˌmis-tran(t)s-ˈlāt 
-tranz-;
-ˈtran(t)s-ˌlāt,
-ˈtranz-
mistranslated; mistranslating
transitive verb
: to translate (something) incorrectly
I have often observed an inquiry by an American slightly mistranslated into Japanese and the Japanese answer then in turn mistranslated.
Edwin O. Reischauer
Edwin O. Reischauer
Word History
First Known Use
1532, in the meaning defined above
mistranslates
verb
as in misspeaks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- misspeaks
- garbles
- misstates
- misinterprets
- misrepresents
- falsifies
- misdescribes
- distorts
- dissembles
- cooks
- camouflages
- slants
- disguises
- whitewashes
- misrelates
- censors
- perverts
- fudges
- warps
- equivocates
- masks
- prevaricates
- colors
- complicates
- bowdlerizes
- obscures
- veils
- belies
- mystifies
- bends
- mistakes
- confuses
- twists
- confounds
- palters
- lies
- glosses (over)
- fibs
- mixes (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- interprets
- explains
- illustrates
- clarifies
- illuminates
- clears (up)
- spells out
- deciphers