mistune

verb

mis·​tune ˌmis-ˈtün 

-ˈtyün

mistuned; mistuning

transitive verb

: to tune (something) incorrectly

mistune a violin

One of the cello's strings is subtly mistuned in this piece, which adds a kink to otherwise elegant, even noble, lines.

—Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1523, in the meaning defined above