Amisnomer is a name that is incorrectly or unsuitably applied.[1] Misnomers often arise because something was named long before its correct nature was known, or because an earlier form of something has been replaced by a later form to which the name no longer suitably applies. A misnomer may also be a word that is used incorrectly or misleadingly.[2] The word "misnomer" does not mean "misunderstanding" or "popular misconception",[2] and a number of misnomers remain incommon usage — which is to say that a word being a misnomer does not necessarily makeusage of the word incorrect.
Pars pro toto (i.e., the name of a part being applied to the whole).Holland is often used to refer to theNetherlands, while it is actually only a part of that country.
Referring to the suburbs of ametropolis by the name of the biggest city in the metropolis.
A name based on a similarity in a particular aspect (e.g., "shooting stars" look like falling stars but are actuallymeteors).
A difference between popular and technical meanings of a term. Akoala "bear" (see below) superficially looks and acts like abear, but is quite distinct and unrelated.Fireflies fly likeflies, andladybugs are likebugs. Botanically,peanuts are notnuts. The technical sense is often cited as "correct", but this is a matter of context.
Ambiguity. Aparkway is generally aroad with park-like landscaping, not a place to park. Such a term may confuse those unfamiliar with the language.
Association of a thing with a place other than its origin.Panama hats originate fromEcuador, but came to be associated with the building of thePanama Canal.
Naming particular to the originator's world view.
An unfamiliar name – perhaps foreign – or technical term re-analyzed as something more familiar (seefolk etymology).
Anachronisms, juxtaposed terms from different time periods, creating chronological inconsistency.
The "lead" inpencils is made ofgraphite andclay, notlead; graphite was once believed to be leadore. The graphite and clay mix is known asplumbago, meaning "lead ore" in Latin.
Blackboards can be black, green, red, blue, or brown.
Sticks of chalk are no longer made ofchalk, but ofgypsum.
Tin foil is almost always made ofaluminium, whereas "tin cans" made for the storage of food products are made from steel with a thintinplating. In both cases, tin was the original metal.
Telephone numbers are referred to as being "dialed" althoughrotary phones are now rare.
Ingolf, the clubs referred to as woods were once made of wood but are now usually made of metal.
The termanachronym refers to this type of misnomer.[3]"Anachronym" should not be confused withanacronyms, which refers to words (such aslaser,sonar andscuba) with acronymic origin but which are now used syntactically as words in their own right.
Althoughdry cleaning does not involve water, it does involve the use of liquid solvents.
The "funny bone" is not abone—the phrase refers to theulnar nerve.
Aquantum leap is properly an instantaneous change that may be large or small. Inphysics, it is a change of an electron from one energy level to another. In common usage the term is often used to mean a large, abrupt change.
"Tennis elbow" (formallylateral epicondylitis) does not necessarily result from playing tennis.[9]
^Leitner, Gerhard; Sieloff, Inke (1998). "Aboriginal words and concepts in Australian English".World Englishes.17 (2):153–169.doi:10.1111/1467-971X.00089.
The dictionary definition ofmisnomer at Wiktionary