From mis- +‎ direction.

• Rhymes: -ɛkʃən

misdirection (countable and uncountable, plural misdirections)

1. An act of misleading, of convincing someone to concentrate in an incorrect direction.

   The magician used misdirection to get us to watch his left hand while he did something with his right hand.

2. Movement or tendency in the wrong direction.
3. (UK, law) An error of law within a judgement committed by a judge or judges of a lower court, particularly as found by an appeals court.

• misdirect