What does "misprision" mean?
Criminal neglect or wrongful execution of duty, especially by a public official; (countable) a specific instance of this.
Misprision
/ˌmɪsˈpɹɪʒn̩/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Criminal neglect or wrongful execution of duty, especially by a public official; (countable) a specific instance of this.
- Grammar: misprision is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: crime, depreciation, disparagement, evildoing.
- Usage evidence: [I]f any persone were perceiued to be absent, or were sene to laughe at the folye of the emperour [Nero], he was forthe with accused, as it were, of missprision: whereby the emperour founde occasion to committe him to prison or to put hym to tortures.
How to use "misprision"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "misprision" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "misprision" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "misprision" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "misprision" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "crime" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Criminal neglect or wrongful execution of duty, especially by a public official; (countable) a specific instance of this. historical, uncountable
"[I]f any persone were perceiued to be absent, or were sene to laughe at the folye of the emperour [Nero], he was forthe with accused, as it were, of missprision: whereby the emperour founde occasion to committe him to prison or to put hym to tortures."
- 2 Despising or holding in contempt; disdain, scorn. uncountable
"Heere, take her hand, / Proud ſcornful boy, vnworthie this good gift, / That doſt in vile miſpriſion ſhackle vp / My loue, and her deſert: […]"
- 3 In full misprision of felony or misprision of treason: originally, a less serious form of felony or treason; later, the crime of (intentionally) failing to give information about a felony or treason that one knows about; (countable) an instance of this. historical, uncountable
"misprision of heresy"
- 4 Not seeing the value in something; undervaluing. uncountable
- 5 Misinterpretation or misunderstanding; (countable) an instance of this; a mistake. broadly, uncountable
"A Feuer in your blood vvhy then inciſion VVould let her out in Savvcers, ſvveete miſpriſon.^([sic])"
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Incorrect or unfair suspicion; (countable) an instance of this. broadly, uncountable
Example
"[I]f any persone were perceiued to be absent, or were sene to laughe at the folye of the emperour [Nero], he was forthe with accused, as it were, of missprision: whereby the emperour founde occasion to committe him to prison or to put hym to tortures."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "misprision"?
Common synonyms include: crime, depreciation, disparagement, evildoing, lawbreaking, malfeasance.
How do you use "misprision" in a sentence?
[I]f any persone were perceiued to be absent, or were sene to laughe at the folye of the emperour [Nero], he was forthe with accused, as it were, of missprision: whereby the emperour founde occasion to committe him to prison or to put hym to tortures.
How do you pronounce "misprision"?
Pronounced /ˌmɪsˈpɹɪʒn̩/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Late Middle English misprision, mesprision (“criminal offence or illegal action, especially one committed by a public official”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman misprision, mesprision, mesprison (“criminal offence or illegal action; error, mistake, specifically an error by a court”) [and other forms] (whence Late Latin mesprisio, misprisio), and Old French mesprison, from mespris (“contempt, disdain”) (modern French mépris) + -ion (suffix indicating a condition or state). Mespris is the past participle of mesprendre (“to misunderstand”), from mes- (prefix meaning ‘badly; wrongly’) + prendre (“to take”) (from Latin prēndere, the present active infinitive of prēndō, a variant of prehendō (“to seize, take”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰed- (“to find; to seize, take; to hold”)).
Etymology 2
From misprize (“to despise or hold in contempt; to undervalue”) + -ion (suffix indicating a condition or state), probably influenced by misprision (etymology 1). Misprize is derived from Middle English mesprise, mespryse, from Anglo-Norman mespriser, Middle French mespriser, and Old French mesprisier, mesproisier (“to disdain, scorn; to despise, hate”) (modern French mépriser), from mes- (prefix meaning ‘badly; wrongly’) + priser, prisier (“to appraise, value”) (from Late Latin pretiāre, the present active infinitive of pretiō (“to consider valuable, esteem, prize, value”), Medieval Latin pretiō (“to appraise, assess, value”), from Latin pretium (“cost, price; value, worth”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“before; in front; first”)) + -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs)).