misquotation

noun

mis·​quo·​ta·​tion ˌmis-kwō-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce misquotation (audio)
 also  -kō-
plural misquotations
: the act or an instance of quoting something or someone incorrectly
In the book, Mr. Sullivan offers 10 common "mechanisms" that he says lead to misquotation and incorrect attribution.Niraj Chokshi
: an incorrect quotation
"Play it again, Sam" is a famous misquotation. Bergman's character, Ilsa Lund, tells piano player Sam (Dooley Wilson): "Play it, Sam. Play As Time Goes By."Jeffrey Sheban

Examples of misquotation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona’s misquotation (Notable & Quotable, Nov. 29) brings to mind the advice my father gave me. WSJ, 3 Dec. 2023 The fact-check flagged a misquotation that should have been rendered as a paraphrase. Erik Wemple, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misquotation was in 1608

Dictionary Entries Near misquotation

Cite this Entry

“Misquotation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misquotation. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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