What is a misnomer?

Answer 1

An incorrect name for something.
Many names are descriptive. If the name is descriptive then it can be incorrect terminology(hence misleading) if an incorrect name is given.

Answer 2

A misnomer is the wrong name or term for something; a misleading name, often idiomatic.

Some sources of misnomers include

A word used in ignorance of the true meaning.
An older name being retained as the thing named evolved (e.g., pencil lead, tin can, fixed income markets, mince meat pie, steamroller). This is essentially a metaphorical extension with the older item standing for anything filling its role.
A name being based on a similarity in a particular aspect (e.g. asteroids look like stars from Earth, the settled portions of Greenland are greener than the rest)
A difference between popular and technical meanings of a term. For example a koala "bear" looks and acts much like bears, but from a zoologist's point of view they are quite distinct. Similarly, fireflies fly, ladybugs look and act like bugs and peanuts look and taste like nuts. The technical sense is often cited as the "correct" sense, but this is a matter of context.
An older name being retained even in the face of newer information (e.g., Chinese checkers, Arabic numerals).
Ambiguity (e.g., a parkway is generally a road with park-like landscaping, not a place to park).

Answer 3

A misnomer is the wrong name or term for something; a misleading name, often idiomatic.

Some sources of misnomers include

A word used in ignorance of the true meaning.
An older name being retained as the thing named evolved (e.g., pencil lead, tin can, fixed income markets, mince meat pie, steamroller). This is essentially a metaphorical extension with the older item standing for anything filling its role.
A name being based on a similarity in a particular aspect (e.g. asteroids look like stars from Earth, the settled portions of Greenland are greener than the rest)
A difference between popular and technical meanings of a term. For example a koala "bear" looks and acts much like bears, but from a zoologist's point of view they are quite distinct. Similarly, fireflies fly, ladybugs look and act like bugs and peanuts look and taste like nuts. The technical sense is often cited as the "correct" sense, but this is a matter of context.
An older name being retained even in the face of newer information (e.g., Chinese checkers, Arabic numerals).
Ambiguity (e.g., a parkway is generally a road with park-like landscaping, not a place to park).

Answer 4

(m)

A misnomer is an incorrect or misleading name for a thing. They are often idiomatic.

Misnomer
A bid or play improperly called. If a player bids 1 Diamond when the intended bid is 1 Heart, then he may substitute his intended call if he does so without pause. Otherwise his call, if legal, stands, and, if illegal, is subject to penalty. In the case that a player changes his call after a pause, the exchange of unauthorized information may be taking place, and a penalty under the provision of Law 25 should be enforced.

Answer 5

A misnomer gives the wrong impression; it is has been mistakenly named.

I notice you asked this because of a reply in your other question...

Scientology (or dianetics) is not about science, is not tested by the scientific community and is not endorsed by the scienctific community.

That is why that person refered to scientology as a misnomer, and I agree. While the word itself is a mix of latin & greek to mean knowing to know (in a loose translation), it gives the impression it uses the scientific method, which it does not.

Its creator tried to tell people he had a engineering degree and was a nuclear physicist, but these were both lies. He failed his degree, and he failed a single physics module as part of this.

That is why they referred to scientology as a misnomer,

I will answer you scientology questions in a bit, I don't want to let gandalf down....(pls keep 'em open)

Answer 6

Misnomer is an incorrect or unsuitable name.

Answer 7

An error in naming a person or place.

Application of a wrong name.
A name wrongly or unsuitably applied to a person or an object.

Answer 8

An error in naming a person or place.

Application of a wrong name.
A name wrongly or unsuitably applied to a person or an object.

Answer 9

misnomer is an incorrect use of name/termine; :)

Answer 10

A fake name