- Main Entry:
- er·ror
- Pronunciation:
-
\ˈer-ər, ˈe-rər\
- Function:
- noun
- Etymology:
- Middle English errour, from Anglo-French, from Latin error, from errare
- Date:
- 13th century
1 a: an act or condition of ignorant or imprudent deviation from a code of behavior b: an act involving an unintentional deviation from truth or accuracy <made an error in adding up the bill> c: an act that through ignorance, deficiency, or accident departs from or fails to achieve what should be done <an error in judgment>: as (1): a defensive misplay other than a wild pitch or passed ball made by a baseball player when normal play would have resulted in an out or prevented an advance by a base runner (2): the failure of a player (as in tennis) to make a successful return of a ball during play d: a mistake in the proceedings of a court of record in matters of law or of fact2 a: the quality or state of erring <the map is in error> bChristian Science : illusion about the nature of reality that is the cause of human suffering : the contradiction of truth c: an instance of false belief3: something produced by mistake <a typographical error>; especially : a postage stamp exhibiting a consistent flaw (as a wrong color) in its manufacture4 a: the difference between an observed or calculated value and a true value; specifically : variation in measurements, calculations, or observations of a quantity due to mistakes or to uncontrollable factors b: the amount of deviation from a standard or specification5: a deficiency or imperfection in structure or function <an error of metabolism>
—
er·ror·less \-ləs\ adjective synonyms error,
mistake,
blunder,
slip,
lapse mean a departure from what is true, right, or proper.
error suggests the existence of a standard or guide and a straying from the right course through failure to make effective use of this
<procedural errors>.
mistake implies misconception or inadvertence and usually expresses less criticism than
error <dialed the wrong number by mistake>.
blunder regularly imputes stupidity or ignorance as a cause and connotes some degree of blame
<diplomatic blunders>.
slip stresses inadvertence or accident and applies especially to trivial but embarrassing mistakes
<a slip of the tongue>.
lapse stresses forgetfulness, weakness, or inattention as a cause
<a lapse in judgment>.
