das Versehen
Translation
oversight, mistake, error, slip
Examples
Es war nur ein Versehen.
It was just an oversight.
Aus Versehen habe ich das falsche Glas genommen.
By mistake, I took the wrong glass.
Dieses Versehen hätte schlimme Folgen haben können.
This oversight could have had serious consequences.
Grammar Patterns
aus Versehen by mistake, by accident I took the salt instead of the sugar by mistake.
Similar Words
Synonyms: mistake, error, slip; Antonyms: intention, purpose
Etymology
From the verb 'versehen', which can mean 'to overlook' (sich versehen). 'ver-' often implies something going wrong, and 'sehen' means 'to see'. So, 'to mis-see'.
Memory Tips
Think of it as having 'seen' ('sehen') something wrongly ('ver-'), which led to a mistake. The phrase 'aus Versehen' (by mistake) is very common.