Error
/ˈɛr.ər/noun
A mistake or incorrect action, belief, or result.
Did you know?In Latin, error could mean a roaming, wandering, or going astray, so the modern “mistake” sense grew out of the idea of being led off the right path.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ers-
“to wander, roam”
Latin
Latin
errare
“to wander, stray, make a mistake”
Latin
Latin
error
“wandering, roaming; a mistake or deviation”
Old French
Old French
error
“wandering; mistake, fault”
Middle English
English
error
“a wandering from the right way; a mistake”
Modern English
English
error
“a mistake or incorrect result”
Explore more surprising origins