Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A misunderstanding.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French, from mal entendu, misunderstood : mal, badly (from Latin male; see mel- in Indo-European roots) + entendu, past participle of entendre, to understand (from Old French; see intend).]

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Examples

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  • –adjective 1. misunderstood; misapprehended.

    –noun 2. a misunderstanding; mistake.

    February 18, 2009