inattention

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

Also spelled in-attention

US /ˌɪnəˈtɛnʃən/ UK /ˌɪnəˈtɛnʃən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
lack of attention or notice; failure to concentrate

A moment of inattention at the wheel caused the collision.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · lack of attention or... distraction carelessness heedlessness negligence absent-mindedness disregard

Opposites

attention attentiveness focus

Word family

Related forms inattentive attention attend

Etymology

From in- ('not') + attention, from Latin attentio ('attention'), from attentus, past participle of attendere ('to give heed to'), from ad- ('to') + tendere ('to stretch').

attendere Latin tendere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# inattention

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌɪnəˈtɛnʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɪnəˈtɛnʃən/

## Meanings
1. lack of attention or notice; failure to concentrate

## Examples
- A moment of inattention at the wheel caused the collision.

## Synonyms
- distraction
- carelessness
- heedlessness
- negligence
- absent-mindedness
- disregard

## Antonyms
- attention
- attentiveness
- focus

## Related Forms
- inattentive
- attention
- attend

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: attendere
- Root: tendere

## Etymology
From in- ('not') + attention, from Latin attentio ('attention'), from attentus, past participle of attendere ('to give heed to'), from ad- ('to') + tendere ('to stretch').

## AI Etymology
inattention comes from in- ('not') + attention, from Latin attentio ('attention'), from attentus, past participle of attendere ('to give heed to'), from ad- ('to') + tendere ('to stretch'). Morphologically, the prefixed shape matters: the initial element belongs to the recorded formation and helps explain the modern form's surface analysis. In present English, the noun sense is "lack of attention or notice; failure to concentrate", so the historical development ends in a clearly identifiable modern dictionary use. The same base also appears in related forms such as inattentive, attention, and attend. Its semantic neighborhood includes distraction, carelessness, heedlessness, and negligence, which helps locate the modern sense without adding a separate etymological claim. The named historical forms include Latin attendere and Latin tendere.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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