misidentify

Intermediate (B1)

IPA: /ˌmɪs.aɪˈdɛntɪ.faɪ/

KK: /mɪsˈaɪdɛntɪfaɪ/

transitive verb

Definition

To recognize or name someone or something incorrectly.

Example

The witness misidentified the suspect in the lineup.

Tense Forms

Past: misidentified

Past Participle: misidentified

Conversation

I think I might have misidentify the bird we saw yesterday.

Oh really? What did you think it was?

I was sure it was a blue jay, but now I'm not so sure.

It happens! Birdwatching can be tricky sometimes.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

mistake

mislabel

misrecognize

Antonyms

identify

recognize

classify

Root Explanation

Misidentify → It is formed from "mis-" (meaning wrongly) and "identify" (from Latin "identificare", meaning to make identical or to recognize). The word "misidentify" means to wrongly recognize or classify something or someone.

Memory Tip

Think of 'mis-' meaning wrongly, and 'identify' meaning to recognize. This helps you remember that misidentify means to recognize something incorrectly.

Visually Confused Words

disidentify