mischance
UK[mɪsˈtʃɑːns]US[mɪsˈtʃæns]
n
an unlucky event or accident; bad luck.
Morpheme Breakdown
mis
chance
mis
bad/wrong
chance
luck/fortune
Etymology
the word 'mischance' is a compound formed within middle english, directly combining the native english prefix 'mis-' with the borrowed noun 'chance'. the prefix 'mis-', with its sense of "badly" or "wrongly", modifies the core meaning of 'chance', which derives from the latin 'cadentia' (a falling), via old french 'cheance', referring to the fall of dice and thus fortune or luck. this combination logically creates a term for an unfortunate occurrence or bad luck. the word's construction exemplifies how english frequently builds vocabulary by attaching germanic prefixes to romance roots to create precise, negative counterparts.
Analysis
Structure: mis (bad/wrong) + chance (luck/fortune)
'mis-' is a prefix of Germanic origin (Old English) meaning "bad" or "wrong". 'chance' is a noun of Latin origin (via Old French) meaning "luck" or "fortune".
Examples
by some mischance, the letter was lost in the post.
they arrived late due to a series of mischances on their journey.
it was pure mischance that led to the discovery.