delinquent

[dih-ling-kwuhnt]

adjective

1. failing in or neglectful of a duty or obligation; guilty of a misdeed or offense.

2. (of an account, tax, debt, etc.) past due; overdue.

3. of or relating to delinquents or delinquency.

   delinquent attitudes.

noun

1. a person who is delinquent.

2. juvenile delinquent.

delinquent

/ dɪˈlɪŋkwənt /

noun

1. someone, esp a young person, guilty of delinquency See juvenile delinquent

2. archaic,  a person who fails in an obligation or duty

adjective

1. guilty of an offence or misdeed, esp one of a minor nature

2. failing in or neglectful of duty or obligation

Other Word Forms

• delinquently adverb
• nondelinquent adjective
• predelinquent adjective
• predelinquently adverb
• undelinquent adjective
• undelinquently adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of delinquent¹

1475–85; < Latin dēlinquent-; delinquency

Word History and Origins

Origin of delinquent¹

C17: from Latin dēlinquēns offending; see _delinquency

Example Sentences

“We are not delinquents, we are not bad people, we are here to work to support our family.”

From Salon

“It’s not that the CDC was delinquent,” Benjamin said.

From Salon

The idea of teenage delinquents in ducktail haircuts strolling through the Manhattan slums, clicking their fingers in unison and protecting their turf, was already quaint lore from the half-forgotten Eisenhower era.

From Salon

During Easter week, the pope chose to perform the traditional washing of others’ feet in a facility for juvenile delinquents.

From Los Angeles Times

That other charity, the Arcadia Firefighters Foundation, is in “delinquent status” with the state attorney general’s office and also barred from accepting donations due to lapsed registration, according to publicly available filings.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• felon 
• hoodlum 
• juvenile delinquent 
• lawbreaker 
• offender 
• wrongdoer