Etymologically
Log in

misprision

Etymology and origin of the English word misprision

History Permalink
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin prehendo
English misprision

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˌmɪsˈpɹɪʒn̩/ (UK); /ˌmɪsˈpɹɪʒ(ə)n/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It comes from Middle English,[2][3] from Anglo-Norman misprision, mesprisioun “mistake, wrongdoing”,[2][4][5][3] from Old French mespris, the past participle of mesprendre “to make a mistake, act wrongly”,[2][4][5][3] from mes- “wrongly” and prendre “to take”,[2][4][5][3] from Latin prehendo (“to seize”).[2][4][5][3] Misprision “contempt” is a separate word, from misprize.[2][3][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

In law, a wrong action or failure of duty, especially by a public official (1425).[4][7][5]

Semantic evolution

In the phrases misprision of treason and misprision of felony (1533–4) the word first meant an offence of a lesser degree than treason or felony;[7][5] because this included knowing of a plot without reporting it, legal writers came to suppose the word meant “failure to denounce”.[5] It also meant a mistake or misunderstanding (1588),[7][3][6] now archaic.[7]

Timeline

  • 1425 – a wrong action or failure of duty.[4][7]
  • 1442 – wrongful capture (obsolete).[7]
  • 1533–4 – misprision of treason.[7]
  • 1586 – contempt (separate word).[3][7]
  • 1588 – a mistake or misunderstanding.[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. Neglect or wrong performance of official duty by a public official.
  2. Concealment of, or failure to report, a treason or felony by one who is not an accessory.
  3. Seditious conduct or contempt against the government or the courts.
  4. A misunderstanding or misinterpretation.
  5. Contempt or scorn; failure to appreciate something's value.
  • misprize
  • comprehend
  • apprehend
  • prison

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Misprision.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/misprision. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·