negligent

[neg-li-juhnt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR negligent ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

guilty of or characterized by neglect, as of duty: negligent officials.

lazily careless; offhand: a negligent wave of his manicured hand.

Origin of negligent

1350–1400; Middle English, variant of necligent < Latin negligent-, necligent-, stem of negligēns, present participle of negligere, variant of neglegere to neglect; see -ent

Related formsneg·li·gent·ly, adverbnon·neg·li·gent, adjectivenon·neg·li·gent·ly, adverbo·ver·neg·li·gent, adjectiveo·ver·neg·li·gent·ly, adverbpre·neg·li·gent, adjectivequa·si-neg·li·gent, adjectivesu·per·neg·li·gent, adjectivesu·per·neg·li·gent·ly, adverbun·neg·li·gent, adjective

Synonyms for negligent

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR negligent ON THESAURUS.COM

1. neglectful.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for negligently

inadequately, carelessly, badly, indifferently, poorly, sloppily

Examples from the Web for negligently

Historical Examples of negligently

“An hour or more,” answered the other negligently, and took a pull at the dark beer.
The Secret Agent
Joseph Conrad
"With your permission," he said negligently; and drew the girl aside to the angle of the stairway.
The Black Bag
Louis Joseph Vance
"Well, if you like to call her so," returned Doro, negligently.
A Spirit in Prison
Robert Hichens
"Your sister and I have always hit it off," he said negligently.
Howards End
E. M. Forster
"The best thing for some of us would be to die at the oar," Captain Whalley said negligently.
End of the Tether
Joseph Conrad

British Dictionary definitions for negligently

negligent

adjective

habitually neglecting duties, responsibilities, etc; lacking attention, care, or concern; neglectful

careless or nonchalant

Derived Formsnegligently, 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 negligently

negligent

adj.

late 14c., from Old French negligent "careless, negligent" (13c.) or directly from Latin negligentem "heedless, careless, unconcerned" (see negligence). Related: Negligently.