An incorrect calculation or mistaken judgment about something, leading to an unexpected or wrong result.
From prefix 'mis-' (wrongly) combined with 'calculation' from Latin 'calculare' (to count, from 'calculus,' a pebble used for counting). The term emerged in the 16th century as mathematics became more central to commerce and science.
History is filled with catastrophic miscalculations made by brilliant people—Napoleon miscalculated Russia's winter, and nuclear strategists miscalculated how close we came to war. These remind us that intelligence and data aren't the same as wisdom about human behavior.
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