Misperception

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /mɪspə(ɹ)ˈsɛpʃən/

Definitions

1. A faulty understanding or belief about a situation can create an inaccurate view of reality and lead to mistaken judgments about circumstances
2. An incorrect notion or misunderstanding about a person or event tends to generate a skewed perception of the truth and affects decision-making
3. A misunderstanding or inaccurate interpretation of information results in a flawed view of reality that influences judgment and perception

Etymology: The prefix "mis-" is one of English's oldest word-building tools, and it traces back through Old English and Proto-Germanic to a root that meant something like "to go wrong" or "to miss the mark." It attached freely to native verbs and nouns long before "perception" entered the language, so the compound was built by simple addition rather than borrowed whole. "Perception" itself came into English from Latin "perceptio," a noun from "percipere," meaning "to seize, take in, or understand." Put the two together and "misperception" reads literally as "a mis-seizing" of what is there: the mind grasps at a situation and grasps it wrongly. The word is a transparent compound, so its meaning has changed little since it was formed.

Synonyms: misunderstanding, misinterpretation, illusion, fallacy, delusion

Antonyms: understanding, perception, reality, truth, clarity