negligence

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See also: négligence

English

Etymology

From Middle English necligence, negligence, from Old French negligence, from Latin neglegentia.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈnɛɡlɪd͡ʒəns/
  • Hyphenation: neg‧li‧gence

Noun

negligence (usually uncountable, plural negligences)

  1. The state of being negligent.
    negligence while driving
    • 1946 January and February, T. S. Lascelles, “A Series of False Signals”, in Railway Magazine, page 43:
      The Woodwalton signalman, Rose, who was severely censured in Captain Tyler's report, behaved with great negligence.
  2. (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.
  3. (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.

Usage notes

  • The breach of a duty of care is one element of the tort of negligence, but is also called negligence; one must therefore take care to clarify what is meant.

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

Middle French

Noun

negligence f (uncountable)

  1. negligence (state of being negligent)

Descendants

  • French: négligence
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