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indulgent

[in-duhl-juhnt]
adjective
  1. characterized by or showing indulgence; benignly lenient or permissive: an indulgent parent.
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Origin of indulgent

1500–10; < Latin indulgent- (stem of indulgēns), present participle of indulgēre to indulge; see -ent
Related formsin·dul·gent·ly, adverbnon·in·dul·gent, adjectivenon·in·dul·gent·ly, adverbpre·in·dul·gent, adjectivesu·per·in·dul·gent, adjectivesu·per·in·dul·gent·ly, adverbun·in·dul·gent, adjectiveun·in·dul·gent·ly, adverb

Synonyms

forbearing, easygoing, tolerant.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for indulgently

Historical Examples

  • "I'm afraid you're an arrant little coquette," said Katherine indulgently.

    Viviette

    William J. Locke

  • "Good deal like a quiltin' so fur," remarked Brad Freeman indulgently.

    Tiverton Tales

    Alice Brown

  • "Can't poison you with much more of it," Miss Perry interrupted him, indulgently.

    Alice Adams

    Booth Tarkington

  • And our friends here have indulgently given you time for it.

    In Kings' Byways

    Stanley J. Weyman

  • "If she is well enough I will bring her in the morning," he answers, indulgently.

    Floyd Grandon's Honor

    Amanda Minnie Douglas

British Dictionary definitions for indulgently

indulgent

adjective
  1. showing or characterized by indulgence
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Derived Formsindulgently, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for indulgently

indulgent

adj.

c.1500, from Latin indulgentem (nominative indulgens), present participle of indulgere (see indulgence). Related: Indulgently.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper