negligence

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈnɛɡlɪdʒəns/ UK /ˈnɛɡlɪdʒəns/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
failure to take proper or reasonable care

The bridge collapsed due to years of negligence by the maintenance crew.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · failure to take proper or... carelessness neglect laxity inattention oversight heedlessness dereliction

Opposites

care diligence attentiveness carefulness

Word family

Related forms negligent neglect negligiblenegligee

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

contributory negligence
carelessness by an injured person that helped cause the harm for which they seek compensation

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Latin neglegentia ('carelessness'), from neglegens ('careless'), present participle of neglegere ('to disregard'), from neg- ('not') + legere ('to gather, choose').

neglegentia Latin legere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# negligence

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

## Meanings
1. failure to take proper or reasonable care

## Examples
- The bridge collapsed due to years of negligence by the maintenance crew.

## Synonyms
- carelessness
- neglect
- laxity
- inattention
- oversight
- heedlessness
- dereliction

## Antonyms
- care
- diligence
- attentiveness
- carefulness

## Related Forms
- negligent
- neglect
- negligible
- negligee

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: neglegentia
- Root: legere

## Etymology
From Latin neglegentia ('carelessness'), from neglegens ('careless'), present participle of neglegere ('to disregard'), from neg- ('not') + legere ('to gather, choose').

## AI Etymology
Negligence comes from Latin neglegentia ('carelessness'), from neglegens ('careless'), present participle of neglegere ('to disregard'), from neg- ('not') + legere ('to gather, choose'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a noun, it carries the sense "failure to take proper or reasonable care", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Latin neglegentia and Latin legere. Related words include negligent, neglect, negligible, negligee.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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