Verb (third-person singular simple present errs, present participle erring, simple past and past participle erred)
- (intransitive) To make a mistake.
- He erred in his calculations, and made many mistakes.
- (intransitive) To sin.
- (archaic) to stray.
Origin From Middle English erren, from Old French errer (“to wander, err, mistake”), from Latin errō (“wander, stray, err, mistake”, verb), from Proto-Indo-European *ares- (“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”).
Usage notes This is the customary abbreviation of this term as used in case citations. See, e.g., The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, Nineteenth Edition (2010), "Court Names", Table T7, p. 432-434.