Error

/ˈɛrər/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A mistake or inaccuracy, typically in a calculation or process.

The accountant discovered an error in the financial report that needed correction.

A deviation from accuracy or correctness.

He admitted that there was an error in his calculations that affected the results.

An action that is incorrect or misguided.

She realized that her decision to invest without researching was a significant error.

In computer science, an error is a condition that causes a program to produce an incorrect result or to terminate unexpectedly.

The software crashed due to a critical error in its code.

From Middle English *eror*, from Old French *erreur*, from Latin *error*, meaning 'a wandering, a deviation'.

error of judgment

A mistake made in assessing a situation.

trial and error

A method of learning through experimentation and mistakes.

human error

A mistake made by a person, often contrasted with machine error.

mistake

An act or judgment that is misguided or wrong.

fault

An error, defect, or imperfection.

blunder

A serious mistake usually caused by ignorance or confusion.

Epic fail

His attempt to cook dinner was an epic fail—burnt and inedible.

Fumble

I totally fumbled that question during the test.