Meanings
verbmisfold (third-person singular simple present misfolds, present participle misfolding, simple past and past participle misfolded)
present singular third person misfolds · participle present misfolding · participle past misfolded · past misfolded
- intransitivebiochemistryTo fold into an unusual or incorrect tertiary structure; misfolded proteins occur in various diseases, including amyloidoses and dementias, although the question of causation versus consequence is not yet definitively answered for dementias.
The prionopathies are best known among the neurodegenerative diseases for their ability to misfold, self-propagate, and infect other organisms.
2021 March 1, Anderson, K.N.; Overcast, W.B.; Brosch, J.R.; Graner, B.D.; Veronesi, M.C., “Prionopathies and Prionlike Protein Aberrations in Neurodegenerative Diseases”, in American Society of Neuroradiology, volume 11, number 2, →DOI, pages 127-148
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*mey-?
- Proto-Indo-European*meyth₂-
- Proto-Germanic*missaz
- Proto-Germanic*missa-
- Proto-West Germanic*missa-
- Old Englishmis-
- Middle Englishmys-
- Englishmis-
- Englishfold
- Englishmisfold
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with misfold
oldgoldholdsoldcoldboldthresholdfoldrolledmoldbeholdmanifoldmouldupholdwithholduntolduncontrolledunfoldpolledauldpatrolledwoldbowledahold
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
misfold. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misfold
MLA
“misfold.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misfold. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “misfold,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misfold.
Source: misfold on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.