misgeneralize

M3I1S1G2E1N1E1R1A1L1I1Z10E1

verb

To make an incorrect generalization.

Scrabble 25

Meanings

verbmisgeneralize (third-person singular simple present misgeneralizes, present participle misgeneralizing, simple past and past participle misgeneralized)

present singular third person misgeneralizes · participle present misgeneralizing · participle past misgeneralized · past misgeneralized · alternative misgeneralise

  1. To make an incorrect generalization.

    Thinking about the case in this way sheds new light on the errors of those who misgeneralize on its basis.

    2014, Tamar Szabo Gendler, Thought Experiment: On the Powers and Limits of Imaginary Cases, page 1970
    3 more examples

    These programs may differ substantially, however, when examined in the light of their effects on the thought processes used to add and subtract, and of the likelihood that students will misinterpret or misgeneralize the principles implicit in the curriculum activities.

    1984, Andrew Garrod, Perspectives on Teaching, Learning and Development, page 482

    The structure [noun+of+ noun] is both exemplified in English such as the arm of the chair and in Spanish ([noun+de+ noun] being the unmarked construction for possessive), hence the potential for the Spanish speaker to misgeneralize the Spanish [noun+de+ noun] in the L2 input and to transfer the structure on the basis of similarity.

    1995, Virginia Yip, Interlanguage and Learnability: From Chinese to English, page 17

    That's not to say that developers who use the class won't still misgeneralize the getting-vs-storing axiom.

    2005, Damian Conway, Perl Best Practices

Origin

Cite this entry
APA

misgeneralize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misgeneralize

MLA

“misgeneralize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misgeneralize. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “misgeneralize,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misgeneralize.

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