misadjustment
|mis-ad-just-ment|
/ˌmɪsəˈdʒʌstmənt/
wrong or inadequate adjustment
Etymology
'misadjustment' is formed in modern English from the prefix 'mis-' (meaning 'wrongly' or 'badly') plus 'adjustment', where 'adjust' comes from Old French 'ajuster' meaning 'to make just or suitable'.
'adjust' entered Middle English from Old French 'ajuster' (from Vulgar Latin/Latin roots related to 'justus'), and 'mis-' is an Old English/Old Norse-derived prefix used in Modern English to denote wrongness; these combined to create the compound noun 'misadjustment' in modern usage.
Originally, 'adjust' meant 'to make just or suitable'; with the prefix 'mis-' the compound came to mean 'an act or state of adjusting wrongly' or more broadly 'failure to adjust', a sense that has been retained in technical and psychological contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an instance or condition of being adjusted incorrectly; an incorrect or inadequate adjustment.
The misadjustment of the microscope made the specimen appear out of focus.
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Noun 2
a psychological or social state in which a person is unable to adapt properly to their environment (used in contexts similar to 'maladjustment').
The therapist discussed the adolescent's misadjustment at school and at home.
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Last updated: 2025/10/30 17:21