erroneous

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UK/ɪˈɹəʊni.əs/UK/ɛˈɹəʊni.əs/US/ɛˈɹoʊ.ni.əs/US/ɪˈɹoʊni.əs/

adjective

Containing an error; inaccurate.

“His answer to the sum was erroneous.”

Similar
inaccurateincorrectwrongfallaciousfalsefaultyflawedmistaken
Opposite
errorless
OriginMiddle English erroneous ← Middle French erroneux ← Latin erroneus →
Less commonScrabble 9
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Meanings

adjectiveerroneous (comparative more erroneous, superlative most erroneous)

comparative more erroneous · superlative most erroneous

  1. Containing an error; inaccurate.

    His answer to the sum was erroneous.

    1 more example

    An erroneous early Fox News report about the New Orleans terror attack is warping the political dialogue in the aftermath of the deadly rampage.

    2025 January 2, Brian Stelter, “Trump falsely links New Orleans terror attack to migrants after erroneous Fox News report”, in CNN

    Synonyms: inaccurate, incorrect, wrong

  2. Derived from an error.

    His conclusion was erroneous, since it was based on a false assumption.

    Synonyms: fallacious, false, faulty, flawed

  3. Mistaken.

    Her choice at the line-up proved to be erroneous, as she had only seen the mugger for an instant.

    Synonyms: mistaken, wrong

  4. obsoleteWandering; erratic.
  5. lawDeviating from the requirements of the law, but without a lack of legal authority, thus not illegal.

    If, while having the power to act, one commits error in the exercise of that power, he acts erroneously.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveContaining an error; inaccurate.

Similar
inaccurateincorrectwrong

adjectiveDerived from an error.

Similar
fallaciousfalsefaultyflawed

adjectiveMistaken.

Similar
mistakenwrong
Similar
errorful
Opposite
errorless

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivecontaining or characterized by error

Similar
incorrectwrong
Also see
errorousfallaciousfalseincorrectin errormendaciouspeccantuntruewrong

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinerroneus
  2. Middle Frencherroneux
  3. Middle Englisherroneous
  4. Englisherroneous

From late Middle English erroneous, from Middle French erroneux, from Latin erroneus.

More words from Middle English, Middle French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἁμαρτωλός
  • ἁμαρτωλός (hamartōlós)containing an error; inaccurate
Bulgarian грешен, неправилен
  • грешен (grešen)containing an error; inaccurate
  • неправилен (nepravilen)containing an error; inaccurate
Catalan erroni
  • erronicontaining an error; inaccurate
Czech chybný
  • chybnýcontaining an error; inaccurate
Danish fejlagtig
  • fejlagtigcontaining an error; inaccurate
Esperanto erara
  • eraracontaining an error; inaccurate
French erroné
  • erronécontaining an error; inaccurate
German unrichtig, fehlerhaft
  • unrichtigcontaining an error; inaccurate
  • fehlerhaftcontaining an error; inaccurate
Greek λανθασμένος, εσφαλμένος
  • λανθασμένος (lanthasménos)containing an error; inaccurate
  • εσφαλμένος (esfalménos)containing an error; inaccurate
Hindi अशुद्ध, त्रुटिपूर्ण
  • अशुद्ध (aśuddh)containing an error; inaccurate
  • त्रुटिपूर्ण (truṭipūrṇ)containing an error; inaccurate
Hungarian téves
  • tévescontaining an error; inaccurate
Italian erroneo
  • erroneocontaining an error; inaccurate
Latin erroneus, falsus
  • erroneuscontaining an error; inaccurate
  • falsuscontaining an error; inaccurate
Latvian nepareizs, kļūdains
  • nepareizscontaining an error; inaccurate
  • kļūdainscontaining an error; inaccurate
Lithuanian klaidingas
  • klaidingascontaining an error; inaccurate
Māori pākirakira, kēā
  • pākirakiracontaining an error; inaccurate
  • kēācontaining an error; inaccurate
Norwegian feilaktig
  • feilaktigcontaining an error; inaccurate
Polish błędny
  • błędnycontaining an error; inaccurate
Portuguese erróneo, errôneo
  • erróneocontaining an error; inaccurate
  • errôneocontaining an error; inaccurate
Russian ло́жный, неве́рный
  • ло́жный (lóžnyj)containing an error; inaccurate
  • неве́рный (nevérnyj)containing an error; inaccurate
  • непра́вильный (neprávilʹnyj)containing an error; inaccurate
  • оши́бочный (ošíbočnyj)containing an error; inaccurate
Spanish erróneo
  • erróneocontaining an error; inaccurate
Swedish felaktig
  • felaktigcontaining an error; inaccurate
Turkish hatalı
  • hatalıcontaining an error; inaccurate
Ukrainian помилковий
  • помилковий (pomylkovyj)containing an error; inaccurate
Cite this entry
APA

erroneous. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/erroneous

MLA

“erroneous.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/erroneous. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “erroneous,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/erroneous.

Source: erroneous on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.