Misutilize

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To apply something to a purpose it was not meant for, or to handle it incorrectly and without proper care
2. Using a resource, tool, or ability in a wrong or inappropriate way rather than the way it was intended
3. Making poor or improper use of something, often by employing it for ends other than those it was designed to serve

Etymology: "Misutilize" is simply the prefix "mis-", meaning wrongly or badly, attached to "utilize." The prefix goes back to Old English "mis-", which carries the sense of error or wrongness and is related to the Germanic root behind "miss" in the sense of failing to hit or reach something. "Utilize" is itself a relatively late formation. It comes from "utile," a word borrowed from Latin "utilis," meaning useful, which is built on "uti," to use. English took "utilize" from the verb to make use of something, so a "misutilized" resource is one that has been used the wrong way or for the wrong purpose. The combination follows a familiar pattern in English, where "mis-" attaches to verbs such as "misuse," "mismanage," and "misjudge." It is a transparent compound, so the word needs little more explanation than its parts.

Synonyms: misuse, misapply, abuse

Antonyms: utilize