Misstated

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Described or reported something in a way that is not accurate or correct
2. Gave an account or explanation that contained errors or was misleading
3. Communicated information with mistakes, causing it to be wrong or imprecise

Etymology: "Misstated" is simply the past tense and past participle of "misstate," formed by attaching the prefix "mis-" to "state." The prefix comes from Old English, where "mis-" carried the sense of "wrong" or "amiss," and it was productive in forming verbs that meant doing something badly or incorrectly. "State" arrived in English through Middle English "stat," borrowed from Old French "estat," which descended from Latin "status," meaning a standing, condition, or position. That Latin word traces back to the verb "stare," "to stand," so the idea of stating something has its roots in the notion of firmly setting something in place. Joining the two parts gives a verb meaning to set forth something in the wrong way. The result is a plain, transparent formation: English speakers readily combine "mis-" with many verbs, and "misstate" follows that pattern, with no single coiner or dramatic episode behind it.

Synonyms: misrepresented, misquoted