Misconformed

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Definitions

1. To lack conformity to the prescribed forms or standards To display a failure to meet the typical expectations regarding shape or arrangement To show a deviation from the commonly accepted structures or guidelines
2. To be formed in a way that does not correspond to the usual standards or patterns
3. Having a shape or structure that diverges from the accepted or expected form

Etymology: "Misconformed" is the past tense and past participle of "misconform," a verb built from the prefix "mis-," meaning wrongly or badly, and "conform," which goes back to Latin "conformare," meaning to shape together or fashion after a pattern. Put together, the verb means to form or shape something wrongly, so that it departs from the intended or accepted form. The prefix "mis-" is an old English element, used to attach a sense of error or badness to existing verbs, as in "misjudge" or "mislead." Attaching it to "conform" follows that same pattern, producing a word whose meaning can be read straight from its parts. Because the construction is so transparent, the word is less a historical curiosity than a neat illustration of how English builds new negative verbs on demand.