mismanage

the word 'mismanage' is a transparent english formation combining the native english prefix 'mis-' with the verb 'manage'. the prefix 'mis-', of old english and ultimately proto-germanic origin, carries the enduring sense of error or fault. the core verb 'manage' entered english in the 16th century from italian, relating to the handling of horses, and derives from the latin word for 'hand' (manus). the compound 'mismanage' therefore logically builds its meaning from the literal components: to handle or control (manage) in a bad or incorrect (mis-) way. this straightforward morphological process illustrates how english readily creates new vocabulary by attaching negative prefixes to existing action words.

Structure: mis (wrongly) + manage (to control/organize) mis- (prefix of germanic origin, from old english 'mis-', meaning 'badly, wrongly'). manage (verb from italian 'maneggiare', via french 'manège', ultimately from latin 'manus' meaning 'hand', with the sense of handling or controlling).