Misinterpretor

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Someone who incorrectly explains or understands words, ideas, or actions ; a person who provides the wrong meaning, translation, or explanation of something ; one who misconstrues the intent or message of communication
2. An individual who distorts the intended sense of speech or text ; a person responsible for faulty paraphrasing or translation ; someone who gets the meaning of statements or actions wrong
3. A person who gives a false or mistaken version of what is meant or said ; someone who fails to accurately interpret or render information ; one who misreads or misrepresents the significance or content of something

Etymology: English already had "interpret" when "mis-" was attached to it. "Mis-" is an Old English prefix meaning "wrongly" or "badly," and it still sits on dozens of verbs, such as "misspell" and "mistake." Words built this way are often younger than their parts, which is why the prefix can feel newer than the root it modifies. The root comes from Latin "interpretari," meaning "to explain" or "to translate." The Latin "interpres" referred to a go-between, someone who carried meaning from one party to another, and the origin of that noun is uncertain. The ending "-or" is the Latin agent suffix that marks a person who performs an action. English has many such nouns, like "actor" and "editor," so this form follows a familiar pattern. Dictionaries more often list the spelling "misinterpreter," so "misinterpretor" is an uncommon variant.

Synonyms: misinterpreter, misreader

Antonyms: interpreter, translator