A mistake, especially one that causes a problem or a wrong result. It can happen in thinking, calculation, action, or judgment.
From Latin *error* 'a wandering, mistake', from *errare* 'to wander, stray'. The original idea was of wandering away from the correct path.
Error is built on the idea of 'wandering off the path', which is exactly what happens in thinking: you drift from truth without noticing. Science and computing assume error is normal and design systems to measure and reduce it. That mindset—expecting mistakes instead of being shocked by them—is quietly powerful for learning.
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