negligent

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈnɛɡ.lɪ.d͡ʒənt/ See IPA manual

Freq #21953

Meanings

1

adj
Failing to take proper care over something; carelessly inattentive.

The negligent driver was fined for ignoring the warning signs.
2

adj
Legally at fault for failing to take reasonable care.

The court found the company negligent in maintaining the equipment.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · failing to take proper care... careless inattentive

Word family

Derived forms nonnegligentovernegligentunnegligent

Related forms negligence negligently

Etymology

From Middle English necligent, negligent, from Old French negligent, from Latin negligēns.

necligent Middle English negligent Old French negligēns Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# negligent

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈnɛɡ.lɪ.d͡ʒənt/
**Frequency rank:** 21953

## Meanings
1. Failing to take proper care over something; carelessly inattentive.
2. Legally at fault for failing to take reasonable care.

## Examples
- The negligent driver was fined for ignoring the warning signs.
- The court found the company negligent in maintaining the equipment.

## Derived Forms
- nonnegligent
- overnegligent
- unnegligent

## Related Forms
- negligence
- negligently

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: necligent
- Root: negligent
- Root: negligēns

## Etymology
From Middle English necligent, negligent, from Old French negligent, from Latin negligēns.

## AI Etymology
Negligent is from Middle English necligent, negligent, from Old French negligent, from Latin negligēns. In present-day use, it can mean failing to take proper care over something; carelessly inattentive, or legally at fault for failing to take reasonable care. Derived formations include nonnegligent, overnegligent, and unnegligent.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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