Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

misdemean

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: mis-de-mean
IPA

14

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

With a reflexive pronoun: to cause (oneself) to behave badly.

Archaic

verb

Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

"he misdemeaned himself"
"[Y]ou that beſt ſhould teach vs, / Haue miſdemean'd your ſelfe, and not a little: / Tovvard the King firſt, then his Lavves, in filling / The vvhole Realme, by your teaching & your Chaplaines / (for ſo vve are inform'd) vvith nevv opinions, / Diuers and dangerous; vvhich are Hereſies; / And not reform'd, may proue pernicious."

Etymology

From mis- + demean.

Word Breakdown

Prefix: mis

Usage

Inflected Forms

misdemeans (present, singular) misdemeaning (participle, present) misdemeaned (participle, past) misdemeaned (past)

Frequently Paired Words

misdemeanor misdemeanant misdemeanist misdemeanorize

Synonyms

misbehave misconduct

Questions

What does misdemean mean?: With a reflexive pronoun: to cause (oneself) to behave badly.
Where does misdemean come from?: From mis- + demean.

How to pronounce misdemean

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