miscalculate
UK[ˌmɪsˈkælkjuleɪt]US[ˌmɪsˈkælkjuleɪt]
v
to calculate an amount, a measurement, etc. wrongly
v
to judge a situation wrongly
Morpheme Breakdown
mis
calculate
mis
wrongly
calculate
compute
Etymology
the word 'miscalculate' is a transparent compound formed in english by attaching the native english prefix 'mis-' to the verb 'calculate'. the prefix 'mis-', of germanic origin, has long been used to indicate error, fault, or incorrect action. the core verb 'calculate' derives from the latin 'calculare', meaning 'to reckon by using little stones', which itself comes from 'calculus', a diminutive of 'calx' (limestone, pebble). thus, the literal construction 'to compute wrongly' directly and logically conveys the modern abstract meaning of making an error in judgment or arithmetic.
Analysis
Structure: mis (wrongly) + calculate (compute)
mis- (from old english and middle english, a prefix meaning 'badly, wrongly, incorrectly'); calculate (from latin 'calculatus', past participle of 'calculare', meaning 'to count, compute').
Examples
i must have miscalculated the total cost.
the government seriously miscalculated the public's reaction to the new policy.
he miscalculated the distance and the ball fell short of the hole.