misnomer
/mɪsˈnəʊmə
/- The latter designation is a misnomer, because a mild degree of ketosis often is present, and a true coma is uncommon.
- Indeed, the very name seems a misnomer, suggesting that justice has been definitely achieved just by spending a few extra pennies that fair trade guarantees above the market price.
- I always thought that was a just a cute name… or a misnomer, like Pennsylvania Dutch.
- The term ‘student work’ seems a misnomer here, given the clarity and maturity of her production.
- The mistake is in a way only a misnomer, but terminological infelicities have a way of breeding conceptual confusion, and so it is here.
- Unfortunately, this infamous misnomer was only the first of a series of mistakes made by the first foreigner to set eyes on the place: Hiram Bingham.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French, from the Old French verb mesnommer, from mes- 'wrongly' + nommer 'to name' (based on Latin nomen 'name').
name from Old English:
The Latin word nomen is the source of name and of related words in English, such as denominate (mid 16th century), misnomer (Late Middle English), nominate (Late Middle English), and noun (Late Middle English). What's in a name? alludes to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Juliet is saying the fact that Romeo belongs to the rival Montague family is irrelevant: ‘What's in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet.’ No names, no pack drill means that punishment for a misdeed cannot be meted out if everyone involved keeps silent about what has happened. Pack drill is a form of military punishment in which an offender has to perform parade-ground exercises carrying a heavy pack. It dates back to the First World War and soon spread from army circles, especially as a joking aside advising someone to be careful how much they say about a particular person or matter.