miss
UK[mɪs]US[mɪs]
v
to fail to hit, reach, catch, meet, or otherwise make contact with something
v
to fail to notice, hear, or understand something
v
to feel sadness or regret because of the absence or loss of someone or something
v
to fail to be present for something; to arrive too late for something
n
a failure to hit, catch, reach, or achieve something
Etymology
The verb 'miss' originates from the Old English 'missan', meaning "to fail to hit, lack, lose." This term is of Germanic origin, related to Dutch 'missen' and German 'missen', and can be traced back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to go wrong." The core semantic idea of failing to make contact or experiencing a lack has remained remarkably consistent. Over time, this concrete sense of physical failure expanded metaphorically to encompass emotional lack (to feel the absence of someone) and abstract failure (to miss an opportunity or a meaning). Its journey from a physical action to a broad concept of failure and absence illustrates a common path of semantic broadening in language evolution.
Analysis
The word is a simplex form derived from a single Old English root. It is not productively composed of smaller, independent morphemes in modern English.
Examples
The archer's arrow missed the target by a wide margin.
I'm sorry, I missed what you said because of the noise.
She will miss her family terribly when she moves abroad.