mistakedly

Mistakedly is an adverb that appears in some English writings but is not considered standard in modern usage. Most reputable dictionaries mark it as nonstandard or erroneous, noting that the conventional adverb is mistakenly or mistakenly, depending on the source.

Etymology and formation: Mistakedly seems to be formed by combining the word mistake or mistaken with the common adverb suffix -ly. The historically established adverb is mistakenly, which is derived from mistaken (the past participle of mistake) plus -ly. The form mistakedly does not follow typical English morphological patterns and is generally viewed as a mistaken coinage rather than a legitimate derivative.

Usage and examples: Due to its nonstandard status, mistakedly appears mainly in informal writing, humor, or as a typographical error. For example, writing “The report was completed mistakedly” would be considered incorrect in formal contexts; the preferred version is “The report was completed mistakenly.” Readers should prefer the standard form to avoid ambiguity or appearing unacademic.

Relationship to standard forms: In standard English, use mistakenly when conveying that something was done in error due to mistaken beliefs or assumptions, or mistakenly when indicating an error in a process. Mistakedly should be avoided in formal prose, editing, and academic writing.

See also: Mistake, Mistaken, Mistakenly, English spelling and morphology, Common English adverb formations.