confusion
noun
Confusion — the mistake of taking one thing to be another
Definition
A mistake that results from taking one thing to be another; "he changed his name in order to avoid confusion with the notorious outlaw"
In depth
Confusion, in this specific sense, names a mistake that results from taking one thing to be another, the error of misidentification rather than simple ignorance or carelessness. The word's far more common modern sense, a general state of bewilderment or disorder, derives from this older, more precise meaning of mistaking the identity or nature of a specific thing.
Origin
The word descends from Latin confundere, to pour together or mix up, formed from con- (together) and fundere (to pour). That image of pouring distinct things together until they become indistinguishable underlies both the word's specific sense of mistaken identity and its broader modern meaning, general bewilderment conceived as a kind of mental pouring-together of previously distinct thoughts.
Usage examples
"He changed his name in order to avoid confusion with another, more notorious figure who shared the same surname."
"The twins' identical appearance led to constant confusion among teachers who could never quite tell them apart."
"Years of bureaucratic confusion between the two similarly named companies had created a legal headache neither wanted to fully untangle."
How to use it
Confusion in this precise sense of mistaken identity is somewhat narrower than its now-dominant general sense of bewilderment, and writers should be attentive to which meaning, the specific error of misidentification or the broader state of mental disorder, their context actually requires.
Related concepts
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