delinquency

[dih-ling-kwuhn-see]

noun

plural

delinquencies 

1. failure in or neglect of duty or obligation; dereliction; default.

   delinquency in payment of dues.

2. wrongful, illegal, or antisocial behavior.

3. any misdeed, offense, or misdemeanor.

4. something, as a debt, that is past due or otherwise delinquent.

delinquency

/ dɪˈlɪŋkwənsɪ /

noun

1. an offence or misdeed, usually of a minor nature, esp one committed by a young person See juvenile delinquency

2. failure or negligence in duty or obligation; dereliction

3. a delinquent nature or delinquent behaviour

Other Word Forms

• predelinquency noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of delinquency¹

1630–40; < Late Latin dēlinquentia fault, crime, equivalent to Latin dēlinquent- (stem of dēlinquēns, present participle of dēlinquere to do wrong, equivalent to dē- de- + linquere to leave) + -ia noun suffix; -ency

Word History and Origins

Origin of delinquency¹

C17: from Late Latin dēlinquentia a fault, offence, from Latin dēlinquere to transgress, from _de- + linquere to forsake

Example Sentences

El Plan Espiritual de Aztlán, a manifesto published in 1969 at the height of the Chicano movement, envisioned a world where “there will no longer be acts of juvenile delinquency, but revolutionary acts.”

From Los Angeles Times

They might represent freedom, power, delinquency or even the devil.

From Los Angeles Times

An estimated 4 million more borrowers are in late-stage delinquency, meaning a payment hasn’t been made in more than 90 days, and are quickly headed toward default, according to the Department of Education.

From Los Angeles Times

What you need against that kind of delinquency is officers in running shoes.

From BBC

These places in Southern California generally ranked lower on WalletHub’s other rankings for financial distress and debt delinquency, the new study noted.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• default