Where does “misinformation” come from?
Misinformation derives from Middle English mis- combined with English enformation, which traces through Proto-Indo-European meit- and mey-, roots relating to exchange or measurement.
misinformation (English): Information that is incorrect; Unintentional...
Definitions
- Information that is incorrect; Unintentional...
Ancestry of “misinformation”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | information | That which resolves uncertainty; anything that... |
| 2 | Middle English | enformacioun | Teaching, education; the dissemination of knowledge |
| 3 | Latin | īnfōrmātiō | sketch, idea, conception |
| 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 |