mistaker
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia.
mis·take
(mĭ-stāk′)n.
1. An error or fault resulting from defective judgment, deficient knowledge, or carelessness.
2. A misconception or misunderstanding.
v. mis·took (mĭ-sto͝ok′), mis·tak·en (mĭ-stā′kən), mis·tak·ing, mis·takes
v.tr.
1. To understand wrongly; misinterpret: mistook my politeness for friendliness.
2. To recognize or identify incorrectly: He mistook her for her sister.
v.intr.
To make a mistake; err.
[From Middle English mistaken, to misunderstand, from Old Norse mistaka, to take in error : mis-, wrongly; see mei- in Indo-European roots + taka, to take.]
mis·tak′er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.