Other forms: misconceptions
A misconception is a belief that is widely held and wrong. A common misconception, clear up the misconception, a popular misconception.
It is nearly always paired with common or popular, and correcting one is harder than teaching something new, since the wrong idea has to be dislodged first. It is about understanding rather than about facts alone.
1nounmisconceptionA belief that is widely held and wrong.
“It's a common misconception that goldfish can only remember things for a few seconds.”
misconception is a belief.
Middle English
concepcioun
English
conception
English, today
misconception
Built from
From mis- + conception. conception comes from Middle English concepcioun. From Middle English concepcioun, borrowed from Old French conception, from Latin conceptiō (“a comprehending, a collection, composition, an expression, also a becoming pregnant”), from concipiō, past participle conceptus (“conceive”); see conceive. Equivalent to conceive + tion.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA