das plural, Missgeschicke

Definition & meaning

A "Missgeschick" refers to a minor unfortunate event, a mishap, or a clumsy accident. It describes a situation where something goes wrong unexpectedly, often due to bad luck or a small personal error. Typical examples of a "Missgeschick" include spilling a drink, tripping in public, or accidentally breaking a glass. While the event is usually annoying or embarrassing, the word generally implies that the consequences are not life-altering or tragic.

Grammar & Word origin

The word is a neuter noun (das Missgeschick). Its plural form is "die Missgeschicke."

It is a compound of the prefix "miss-" ↗ and the noun "Geschick" ↗.

• The prefix "miss-" ↗ is used in German to denote something that is bad, wrong, or failing (similar to the English prefix "mis-").
• The word "Geschick" ↗ historically relates to "Schicksal" ↗ (fate/destiny) or "Geschicklichkeit" ↗ (skill/dexterity).

Etymologically, a "Missgeschick" was originally seen as a "bad turn of fate," though in modern usage, it leans more toward a lack of situational skill or a simple accident.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

• das Pech ↗ (bad luck)
• das Malheur ↗ (mishap/misfortune, borrowed from French)
• die Panne ↗ (breakdown or glitch)
• das Versehen ↗ (mistake or oversight)
• der Fauxpas ↗ (social blunder)

Antonyms:

• das Glück ↗ (luck or happiness)
• der Erfolg ↗ (success)
• das Geschick ↗ (skill or dexterity)