Make Your Point > Archived Issues > MISNOMER
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Are there interstates in Hawaii?
Sure. But they don't, you know, plunge into the Pacific and resurface 2,467 miles away in California, linking two states and therefore qualifying as literal interstates. So the word "interstate" in Hawaii is a misnomer: an incorrect name, a misleading label.
And what do you call it when a word or phrase is not only a bit misleading but also makes something sound more pleasant than it truly is? Like how "family-style seating" sounds warm and friendly but is really just a dense row of elbows and sweat? Then you've got a eu___mism.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
make your point with...
"MISNOMER"
This word has Latin roots that literally mean "a false or incorrect name."
A misnomer is an inaccurate name. In other words, a misnomer is something's name, label, or title that sends the wrong message about it.
Pronunciation:
miss NO mur
Part of speech:
Noun, the countable kind: "it's a misnomer," "these misnomers confused us."
Other forms:
The plural is "misnomers."
Although you can use "misnomer" as a verb--"they misnomered this town Mountainview, with no mountain in view"--and although you can talk about misnomered things--"this misnomered town"--it sounds hideously awkward, right?
How to use it:
Refer to some name, word, term, phrase, title, label, nickname, slogan, or catchphrase as a misnomer when it seems to offer an inaccurate description. "Koala bears" is a misnomer: they aren't bears. "Fireflies" is a misnomer: they aren't flies. "Glow worms" is a misnomer: they aren't worms. (They're marsupials, beetles, and beetles again, respectively.)
Misnomers are often simply funny: technically incorrect but practically unimportant. Most of us aren't losing sleep because French horns come from Germany or because dry cleaning involves liquid solvents.
But misnomers can be dangerous if they're manipulative. If you label your product or your piece of legislation with a misnomer, you're doing the public a disservice.
So how do you work "misnomer" into your sentence? Most often we simply point out that some name is a misnomer, or a bit of a misnomer. We can also say that some name is a misnomer for some thing or concept.
examples:
"When French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau made a documentary about the ocean in 1956, he called it The Silent World — a misnomer that researchers today point to with much mirth. In reality, the ocean is a noisy place: waves, marine life and rainfall create their own din."
— Nicola Jones, Nature, 10 April 2018
"Being vocal groups, most boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on stage, making the term something of a misnomer."
— World Heritage Encyclopedia entry on "Boy Band," 2019
has this page helped you understand "misnomer"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "misnomer" without saying "inaccurate label" or "incorrect name."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "Because (something is true), the term '_____' is a misnomer."
Example: "Because it's made without cocoa solids, the term 'white chocolate' is a misnomer. Nevertheless: yum."
before you review, play:
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
Our game this month is "Inspired by, but in no way associated with, the game show Chain Reaction."
In each issue, try filling in both puzzles—the easier one and the tougher one—by supplying the terms to complete the chains.
From the previous issue:
An easier puzzle:
Virulent
D______
Eradication
A tougher puzzle:
Seismic
A_______
B___
Club
Answers:
Virulent
Disease
Eradication
Seismic
Activity
Book
Club
Give these a try today:
An easier puzzle:
Windfall
E_____
Size
A tougher puzzle:
Visceral
F__
C_____
Upon
review this word:
1. The opposite of MISNOMER is
A. ANONYM (nameless person).
B. EUONYM (appropriate name).
C. PSEUDONYM (false or assumed name).
2. Those in favor of banning pepper spray call it a misnomer, citing how _____.
A. it induces nausea, swelling, choking, and temporary blindness
B. it incapacitates with a power hundreds of times greater than that of pepper
C. it can potentially harm innocent bystanders or even the person deploying it
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Are there interstates in Hawaii?
"MISNOMER" This word has Latin roots that literally mean "a false or incorrect name."
"When French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau made a documentary about the ocean in 1956, he called it The Silent World — a misnomer that researchers today point to with much mirth. In reality, the ocean is a noisy place: waves, marine life and rainfall create their own din."
Explain the meaning of "misnomer" without saying "inaccurate label" or "incorrect name."
Fill in the blanks: "Because (something is true), the term '_____' is a misnomer."
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
1. The opposite of MISNOMER is
|