Misidentify - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Definition:
To incorrectly recognize or label someone or something as another person or thing.
Synonyms:
confuse, mistake, mix up, mislabel
Part of Speech:
verb
Antonyms:
identify correctly, recognize accurately
Common Collocations:
misidentify a suspect, misidentify a species, misidentify a cause
Derivatives:
misidentification, misidentified
Usage Tips:
Ensure context is clear to avoid confusing similar-looking objects or people when using "misidentify."
Common Phrases:
mistaken identity, wrong end of the stick, off the mark
Etymology:
Derived from "mis-" (wrongly) + "identify," originating from Latin "identificare" (to make identical).
Examples:
- 1. The witness misidentified the suspect in court.
- 2. Students often misidentify similar-looking words in vocabulary tests.
- 3. Scientists must not misidentify species during research to avoid errors.
- 4. She apologized after realizing she had misidentified her colleague in the email.