mistranslate

verb

mis·​trans·​late ˌmis-tran(t)s-ˈlāt How to pronounce mistranslate (audio)
-tranz-;
-ˈtran(t)s-ˌlāt,
-ˈtranz-
mistranslated; mistranslating

transitive verb

: to translate (something) incorrectly
I have often observed an inquiry by an American slightly mistranslated into Japanese and the Japanese answer then in turn mistranslated.Edwin O. Reischauer

Word History

First Known Use

1532, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mistranslate was in 1532

Dictionary Entries Near mistranslate

Cite this Entry

“Mistranslate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mistranslate. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on mistranslate

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!