Etymology
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negligence (n.)

"heedless disregard of duty, inactivity, indifference, habit of omitting to do things which ought to be done," mid-14c., necligence, from Old French negligence "negligence, sloth; injury, injustice" (12c.), and directly from Latin neclegentia, neglegentia "carelessness, heedlessness, neglect," from neglegentem (nominative neglegens) "heedless, careless, unconcerned," present participle of neglegere "to neglect" (see neglect (v.)).

Entries linking to negligence

neglect (v.)

1520s, "omit to do or perform;" 1530s, "treat carelessly or heedlessly, treat with disrespect or without proper attention or care;" from Latin neglectus, past participle of neglegere "to make light of, disregard, be indifferent to, not heed, not trouble oneself about," literally "not to pick up," variant of neclegere, from Old Latin nec "not" (from PIE root *ne- "not") + legere "pick up, select," from PIE root *leg- (1) "to collect, gather." Related: Neglected; neglecting.

negligible (adj.)

"capable of being neglected, admitting of being disregarded," 1819, from negligence + -ible. Related: Negligibly; negligibility.

updated on May 16, 2019

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Dictionary entries near negligence

neglect

neglected

neglectful

neglection

negligee

negligence

negligent

negligible

negotiable

negotiate

negotiation

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