Where does “mistake” come from?

mistake (French) comes from English mistake, from Middle English mistaken, from Old Norse mistaka — to take in error, to miscarry.

mistake (French): error, mistake

Definitions

  1. error, mistake

Ancestry of “mistake”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmistakeTo understand wrongly, taking one thing or person...
2Middle Englishmistaken—
3Old Norsemistakato take in error, to miscarry
Every word from Old Norse mistaka →Every word from Middle English mistaken →Every word from English mistake →