Error

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɛɹə/

Definitions

1. A mistake or inaccuracy that deviates from what is correct, true, or intended
2. A mistake or failure that results in an incorrect outcome | A state of being wrong in conduct, judgment, or action | An unintended deviation from accuracy or correctness in any form of assessment or execution
3. A discrepancy caused by a fault in judgment, procedure, or calculation that leads to an unintended result

Etymology: The story of "error" begins in the Latin-speaking world, where the noun "error" denoted a wandering, a straying from the path, or a mistake. It derives from the verb "errare," meaning "to wander" or "to go astray." This imagery of veering off course is baked into the earliest senses of the term, which originally evoked physical movement — a literal deviation — before settling into the more familiar territory of intellectual or factual mistakes. By the 14th century, English had borrowed this word, likely through Old French "errer," where it already carried the sense of a wrong action or false belief. Medieval texts, both religious and secular, used "error" to describe not only factual inaccuracies but also moral and theological missteps — to err was to stray from truth or virtue as much as from fact. Over time, its meaning narrowed, increasingly referring to incorrectness or mistakes, a shift that paralleled developments in science and philosophy where precise distinction between truth and error became paramount. The same Latin root gives us "err," the verb, as well as "errant" and "erratic," all centering on the idea of wandering or deviation in various forms. Yet, while "errant" knights might roam the countryside, "error" preserves the abstract sense of deviation — not of body, but of mind or calculation.

Synonyms: mistake, blunder, fault, inaccuracy, miscalculation

Antonyms: accuracy, correctness