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
Ancestry of “mistake”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | mistake | To understand wrongly, taking one thing or person... |
| 2 | Middle English | mistaken | — |
| 3 | Old Norse | mistaka | to take in error, to miscarry |