error

The word “error” means a mistake, especially one made unintentionally. In plain terms, a mistake — something that was done, said, or calculated incorrectly.

“Error” is pronounced EH-ruh (/ˈɛɹəɹ/ in IPA).

Here is “error” used in a sentence: “The invoice had an error in the total amount.”

Words with a similar meaning to “error” include aberration, bloomer, blooper, blunder, boner and boo-boo.

“Error” is a noun.

The word “error” comes from Latin. From Old French error, from Latin error, "a wandering about, a mistake," from errāre, "to wander or stray.".

“Error” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Error” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a mistake, especially one made unintentionally.

The two words overlap, but there is a subtle distinction. A mistake is the everyday term for getting something wrong, often through a lapse in judgement. An error is slightly more formal and technical, common in science, computing, and measurement, where it means any deviation from the correct or expected result.

Errors are often grouped by cause. Human error results from a person's slip or oversight, while systematic errors come from a consistent flaw in a method or instrument. Random errors are unpredictable variations, and typographical errors are simple slips in writing or typing. Each type calls for a different way of catching and correcting it.

A misspelled word in a document, a wrong figure in a spreadsheet, or a miscalculation in a sum are all common errors. In computing, an error message appears when a program cannot complete a task. What unites them is that the outcome differs from what was intended or correct.