negligence
/ˈnɛɡlɪd͡ʒəns/ noun
Forms negligences
- noun The state of being negligent. “negligence while driving”
- noun (law, singular only) The tort whereby a duty of reasonable care was breached, causing damage: any conduct short of intentional or reckless action that falls below the legal standard for preventing unreasonable injury.
- noun (law, uncountable) The breach of a duty of care: the failure to exercise a standard of care that a reasonable person would have in a similar situation.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English necligence, negligence, from Old French negligence, from Latin neglegentia.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The quality or state of being negligent; lack of due diligence or care; omission of duty; habitual neglect; heedlessness.
- noun An act or instance of negligence or carelessness.
Etymology [F. négligence, L. negligentia.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “negligence”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details