Misadjuster

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person or device that causes improper or incorrect setting or alignment of an object, mechanism, or system; an agent responsible for a flawed or unsuitable adaptation or positioning
2. One who or that which adjusts something in a faulty, inaccurate, or inappropriate manner, resulting in suboptimal functioning or arrangement; a source of maladjustment or error in calibration
3. An individual or tool that makes unsuitable alterations or modifications leading to improper fit, balance, or operation; one who complicates or disrupts proper adjustment or configuration

Etymology: Adjust comes from Old French "ajuster," meaning "to bring into line," which in turn derives from Latin "justus," or "just." An adjuster, then, is someone or something that makes things exact or fitting. The sense of making a thing precise survives in the modern word, which is why "adjust" can mean to correct a setting as well as to adapt to circumstances. Misadjuster is a transparent formation: the prefix "mis-," from Old English and meaning "wrongly," attached to "adjuster," with the agent suffix "-er" marking a person or device that performs the action. Its meaning follows directly from its parts, so the word carries no special story of its own. It is a technical coinage that describes an agent that sets things wrongly.

Synonyms: incorrect adjuster