misdemeanour

English

Etymology

From mis- +‎ demeanour.

Noun

misdemeanour (plural misdemeanours)

1. (British spelling) Alternative form of misdemeanor
   • 2022 November 16, Christian Wolmar, “Can Merriman use his rail knowledge to make a difference?”, in RAIL, number 970, page 44:

     Therefore, welcome new Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper, a man about whom even my esteemed political journalist friends know little - apart from the fact he was once Chief Whip, a job that requires knowing about every Tory MP's misdemeanours.

Usage notes

The modern standard spelling in British English is misdemeanour, but misdemeanor has been occasionally used in the past for the sense "one who misdemeans, a miscreant".

References

• Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1989.
• Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary, 1987-1996.