misdemeanour

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English

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Etymology

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From mis- +‎ demeanour.

Noun

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misdemeanour (plural misdemeanours)

  1. (British spelling) Alternative form of misdemeanor
    • 2022 November 16, Christian Wolmar, “Can Merriman use his rail knowledge to make a difference?”, in RAIL, number 970, page 44:
      Therefore, welcome new Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper, a man about whom even my esteemed political journalist friends know little - apart from the fact he was once Chief Whip, a job that requires knowing about every Tory MP's misdemeanours.

Usage notes

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The modern standard spelling in British English is misdemeanour, but misdemeanor has been occasionally used in the past for the sense "one who misdemeans, a miscreant".

References

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  • Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1989.
  • Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary, 1987-1996.