noun
miscarriage
MIHSKA-rihj
noun
1
The loss of a pregnancy before the baby can survive outside the womb.
"She was devastated after suffering a miscarriage in her first trimester."
2
A failure of something, especially a plan or process, to work as intended — most often used in the fixed phrase "miscarriage of justice."
"New DNA evidence proved it had been a shocking miscarriage of justice."
How to Use Miscarriage
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLosing a pregnancy early, or (in the fixed phrase) a legal process going badly wrong.
When to use it
Talk about pregnancy loss with sensitivity — it is a difficult personal topic for many people.
Common pairings
suffer a miscarriage
miscarriage of justice
risk of miscarriage
Word Forms
miscarriages plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “miscarriage”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
She was devastated after suffering a _____ in her first trimester.
Etymology
From mis- + carriage — literally a "wrong carrying," first applied to failed plans and later specifically to lost pregnancies.