Mishap
/ˈmɪs.hæp/noun
An unlucky accident or unfortunate event.
Did you know?The word hap once meant chance or fortune, while its related word happy originally meant fortunate or lucky—not emotionally joyful.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*hampą
“Chance, fortune, or convenience; the reconstructed ancestor of the hap family”
Old Norse
Old Norse
happ
“Good luck, fortune, or favorable chance”
Middle English
Middle English
hap
“Chance, occurrence, or fortune—good or bad”
Old English to Middle English
English
mis-
“Wrongly, badly, or unfavorably; a prefix used to mark error or misfortune”
15th Century
English
mishap
“An unfortunate occurrence or unlucky event”
Modern English
English
mishap
“A minor accident or unfortunate incident”