A wrong or clumsy step; a mistake or wrong action, especially one that causes problems.
From 'miss-' (prefix meaning wrong or failed) plus 'step.' A literal false step, extended metaphorically to mean any error in judgment or action.
One misstep on a mountain trail could be fatal, so the word perfectly captures how a single small wrong movement in life can have huge consequences—literal and metaphorical dangers both matter.
The prefix 'miss-' historically marked female identity (mistress, missus) while the root concept of 'step' is gender-neutral. The gendered prefix on an error term subtly gendered mistakes as female.
Use as-is; the archaic gender marker is no longer active in modern usage, though awareness of its origin is valuable.
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