mistranslate

verb

mis·​trans·​late ˌmis-tran(t)s-ˈlāt 

-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