wrong
Meaning
Not correct or true; mistaken or in error.
Not in accordance with what is morally right or just; unjust or dishonest.
An unjust, dishonest, or immoral action.
Treat someone unjustly or dishonestly.
Usage
He gave the wrong answer on the test.
It is wrong to steal from others.
She felt she had been wronged by the false accusation.
Etymology
The word 'wrong' originates from the Old English 'wrang', a term of Germanic descent signifying something twisted, crooked, or unjust. It is cognate with Old Norse 'rangr', which carried a similar sense of being awry or not straight. This etymological journey from a physical concept of crookedness to an abstract moral concept of injustice is a classic example of semantic shift. The underlying logic connects the literal idea of deviation from a straight line to the figurative idea of deviation from what is correct, proper, or fair.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Old English origin. The modern form 'wrong' evolved directly from the Old English 'wrang', meaning 'wrong, injustice, injury'. The root is of Germanic origin, related to Old Norse 'rangr' meaning 'awry, unjust'.