Meanings
plural misgovernments
- countableuncountableBad government.
- archaiccountableuncountableFailure to restrict oneself; improper behavior; misconduct.
DON JOHN. (talking of the alleged "vile encounters" of Hero with her lover) Fie, fie! they are not to be nam'd, my lord, Not to be spoke of; There is not chastity enough in language Without offence to utter them. Thus, pretty lady, I am sorry for thy much misgovernment.
1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*mey-?
- Proto-Indo-European*meyth₂-
- Proto-Germanic*missaz
- Proto-Germanic*missa-
- Proto-West Germanic*missa-
- Old Englishmis-
- Middle Englishmys-
- Englishmis-
- Englishgovernment
- Englishmisgovernment
From mis- + government.
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
misgovernment. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misgovernment
“misgovernment.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misgovernment. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “misgovernment,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misgovernment.
Source: misgovernment on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.