Where does “miscalculation” come from?
Miscalculation comes from Middle English mis- combined with Latin calculus, derived from Latin calx meaning "stone" or "pebble," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- referring to hard materials.
miscalculation (English): An incorrect or mistaken calculation
Definitions
- An incorrect or mistaken calculation
Ancestry of “miscalculation”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | calculation | The act or process of calculating; The result of... |
| 2 | Middle English | calculation | — |
| 3 | Latin | calculatio | computation, calculation, reckoning |
| 4 | Latin | -tiō | tion, -ation, -ing |
| 5 | Latin | dissertātiō | (spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition |
| 6 | Latin | dissertus | arranged, disposed; explained |
| 7 | Latin | disserere | second-person singular future passive indicative... |
| 8 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 9 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 10 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 11 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |