Dictionary

misfortune en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /mɪsˈfɔːtʃuːn/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /mɪsˈfɔɹt͡ʃən/ (General-American)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *mey-? Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂-der. Proto-Germanic *missaz Proto-Germanic *missa- Proto-West Germanic *missa- Old English mis- Middle English mys- English mis- English fortune English misfortune From mis- + fortune.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) Synonym of bad luck.
   • Cycling's complex etiquette contains an unwritten rule that riders in contention for a race win should not be penalised for sheer misfortune. 2012 July 15, Richard Williams, “Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track”, in in Guardian Unlimited:
   • The worst tour I have ever had the misfortune to experience.
   • It was my fortune, or misfortune, to be called to the office of Chief Executive without any previous political training. 1876, Ulysses S. Grant, Annual Message:
2. (countable) An instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident.
   • (obsolete)
   • The snowstorm, which was the cause of their misfortune, happened in the middle of January, corresponding to our July, and in the latitude of Durham! 1839, Charles Robert Darwin, “Chapter X”, in The Voyage of the Beagle:
   • She had to come to terms with a number of misfortunes.

Forms

Antonyms

fortuity

Deriveds

soldier of misfortune · misfortuned

Relateds

misfortunate

Synonyms

misadventure · bad luck · adversity · mishap · disadventure

Translations (77)

ru злоключе́ние (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · tl kasawiang-palad (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ga tubaiste (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · oc malabosena (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · es adversidad (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · vi nạn (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · de Unfall (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · da ulykke (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · de Unheil (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · la adversa (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · izh onnettomus (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · nl tegenslag (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ro pățanie (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · hu csapás (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · oc malastrada (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · hi अभाग्य (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · mi maiki (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ar شَقْوَة (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · fr malheur (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · el δυστυχία (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · de Missgeschick (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · uk біда́ (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ur نحوست (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · fi tapaturma (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · bg неща́стие (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ja 災い (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ro pățeală (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ca infortuni (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · es infortunio (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · pt infortúnio (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ko 불행 (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · be няшча́сце (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · la clades (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · pt adversidade (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · lv bēda (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · el κακοτυχία (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · la aerumma (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · cy anffawd (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ja 不幸 (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · mi maikiroa (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · sv olycka (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · oc malparada (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ga amaróid (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · fi onnettomuus (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ru несча́стье (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · grc συμφορά (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · be бяда́ (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · fi vahinko (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · es desgracia (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ga anachain (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ca desgràcia (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · hu szerencsétlenség (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · de Unglück (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · de Mißgeschick (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · it disgrazia (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · cy anap (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ru беда́ (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · el ατυχία (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · grc δυστύχημα (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · la calamitas (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · pl nieszczęście (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ar مُصِيبَة (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ko 불운 (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · es desventura (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · nb ulykke (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · sq fatkeqësi (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · fr mésaventure (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ro nenorocire (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · cmn 禍 /祸 (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · zdj ɓaya (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · pt desgraça (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · cmn 不幸 (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · pl niepowodzenie (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · pt desventura (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ckb لێقەومان (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · ml അനർത്ഥം (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident) · uk неща́стя (an instance of bad luck, an undesirable event such as an accident)