error
noun
Error — a deviation from correctness, often measured with precision
Definition
A wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention; "he made a bad mistake"; "she was quick to point out my errors"; "I could understand his English in spite of his grammatical faults"
In depth
An error is a wrong action attributable to bad judgment, ignorance, or inattention, the word carrying a slightly more formal, often technical register than the plainer 'mistake.' It is especially common in scientific, mathematical, and professional contexts, where errors can often be precisely measured, categorized, and corrected through systematic review.
Origin
The word descends from Latin errare, to wander or stray, the same root behind 'erratic' and 'aberration.' That image of wandering off a correct path remains vivid in the word's modern use, an error conceived as a deviation from the proper route, whether in calculation, judgment, or behavior.
Usage examples
"The engineer traced the structural failure to a single calculation error made years before construction even began."
"Editors are trained to catch errors that even careful authors inevitably overlook in their own work."
"The experiment's margin of error was carefully documented, accounting for known limitations in the measuring equipment."
How to use it
Error suits technical, scientific, and professional writing especially well, often carrying connotations of measurable, classifiable deviation from a known correct standard, distinguishing it from the more casual, everyday 'mistake.'
Related concepts
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