# Misnomer vs. misconception **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 2, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misnomer-vs-misconception/495045 "2009-05-02T00:34:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misnomer-vs-misconception/495045/1 "2009-05-02T00:34:01Z")
I frequently hear “misnomer” used instead of “misconception.” For example, “It’s a misnomer that you can contract swine flu by eating pork.” Is this another case, like “nauseous” and “nauseated/nauseating,” where usage over time has changed two words with different meanings into synonyms? Please tell me that’s not the case. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misnomer-vs-misconception/495045/2 "2009-05-02T00:35:23Z")
FWIW, I’ve never heard anyone mistake misnomer for misconception. Maybe it’s a regional thing? ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misnomer-vs-misconception/495045/3 "2009-05-02T00:39:11Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > FWIW, I’ve never heard anyone mistake misnomer for misconception. > > Maybe it’s a regional thing? I just heard it tonight on an episode of _House_ (from Stacy, the hospital’s legal counsel), which is what set me off. She said something like, “It’s a misnomer that you should do X instead of Y when giving testimony.” ---
**Author:** ![hays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@hays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hays)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misnomer-vs-misconception/495045/4 "2009-05-02T00:39:57Z")
I hear it, all too often. I think it’s one of those instances of a person trying to sound intelligent and missing the mark. I know I’ve heard it used by news anchors. I hope it isn’t becoming another “nauseous”. ---
**Author:** ![fighting\_ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fighting\_ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fighting_ignorant)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misnomer-vs-misconception/495045/5 "2009-05-02T01:23:38Z")
For that matter, what’s the deal with people mis-using ‘nauseous’, ‘nauseated’, ‘nauseating’, etc? I’ve (I think) only ever heard them used correctly. In what way are these mis-used? ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misnomer-vs-misconception/495045/6 "2009-05-02T01:50:14Z")
> [@fighting\_ignorant](#): > > For that matter, what’s the deal with people mis-using ‘nauseous’, ‘nauseated’, ‘nauseating’, etc? I’ve (I think) only ever heard them used correctly. In what way are these mis-used? “Nauseous” means “inducing nausea.” “Nauseated” means “experiencing nausea.” Many people say, “I feel nauseous” rather than “I feel nauseated.” “Nauseating,” OTH, is another matter. “That tuna noodle hot dish was nauseous” and “That tuna noodle hot dish was nauseating” are both correct. ---
**Author:** ![fighting\_ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fighting\_ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fighting_ignorant)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misnomer-vs-misconception/495045/7 "2009-05-02T01:59:17Z")
Hmm. That never occurred to me, and as it turns out, [I was accidentally correct](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nauseous): > [@](#): > > usage Those who insist that nauseous can properly be used only in sense 1 and that in sense 2 it is an error for nauseated are mistaken. Current evidence shows these facts: nauseous is most frequently used to mean physically affected with nausea… ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misnomer-vs-misconception/495045/8 "2009-05-02T21:44:07Z")
> [@fighting\_ignorant](#): > > Hmm. That never occurred to me, and as it turns out, [I was accidentally correct](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nauseous): That’s my point. The distinction between “nauseous” and “nauseated” has disappeared through usage. (Perhaps I should have said " ‘Nauseous’ used to mean…") My question is whether or not the same thing is happening with “misnomer” and “misconception.” ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misnomer-vs-misconception/495045/9 "2009-05-02T22:12:31Z")
Peerhaps we should consult [Mrs. Malaprop](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malapropism)? ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misnomer-vs-misconception/495045/10 "2009-05-02T23:12:03Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Peerhaps we should consult [Mrs. Malaprop](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malapropism)? I’m going with definition #2 and saying that using “misnomer” instead of “misconception” is not a malapropism. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misnomer-vs-misconception/495045/11 "2009-05-02T23:14:58Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > FWIW, I’ve never heard anyone mistake misnomer for misconception. > > Maybe it’s a regional thing? I hear it all the time. I’ve killed over this. ---
**Author:** ![acetylene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@acetylene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acetylene)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/misnomer-vs-misconception/495045/12 "2009-05-03T00:34:21Z")
Me too, usually from students. I can’t STAND when people say this.