Word
err
US/ˈɛɹ/
UK/ˈɜː/
Definitions
01to make a mistake
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to make a mistake or be wrong about something.
v. to make an error in judgment or action. Often used in the idiom 'to err on the side of' to describe choosing a safer or more generous option.
“It is better to err on the side of caution when driving in the snow.”
“The committee decided to err on the side of generosity, awarding the grant to several borderline candidates despite the budget constraints.”
Synonyms
02to do wrong or sin
C2 · Proficiency Religion Formal · Literary
v. to do something that is morally wrong or to break a religious rule.
v. to transgress a moral or religious code. Frequently encountered in the proverb 'to err is human, to forgive divine'.
“The priest reminded the people that all humans err at some point.”
“In his final sermon, the minister spoke of the inherent tendency of the soul to err when separated from its community.”
Usage
The verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object; frequently appears in the idiomatic phrase 'to err on the side of'.
Real-World Examples
“To err may be human, but to acknowledge and repair is equally so.” “When an animated robot erred, people seemed caught off guard and had to work harder to make sense of an awkward social situation.” “If you think that you already err on the side of gullibility, Teunisse suggests getting a sense check from others whenever you have any doubts.” Etymology
From Middle English erren, from Old French errer (“to wander, err, mistake”), from Latin errō (“wander, stray, err, mistake”, verb), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ers- (“to be angry, lose one's temper”). Cognate with Old English eorre, ierre (“anger, wrath, ire”), Old English iersian (“to be angry with, rage, irritate, provoke”), Old English ierre (“wandering, gone astray, confused”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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