Negligence Meaning and Definition

Negligence

Negligence

Pronunciation

/nɪˈglɪdʒəns/

Part of Speech

Noun

Definition

The failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in a similar situation, often resulting in harm to oneself or others.

Examples

  • The doctor was found negligent in her care of the patient who developed complications.
  • The company was held liable for the negligence of its employees, which caused an explosion.

Synonyms

  • Recklessness
  • Duress

Antonyms

  • Carefulness
  • Diligence

Etymology

Negligence comes from the Latin “negligere,” meaning “to disregard” or “to neglect.”

Usage Notes

Negligence is often used in legal and philosophical contexts to describe a failure to meet a standard of care. In everyday language, it can also refer to a person’s lack of attention or consideration towards someone else.

Cultural References

Negligence has been explored in various forms of media, such as literature (e.g., “The Negligent Wife” by Ethel Robinson) and film (e.g., “The Deep Sleep” by Michael Winterbottom).

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

  • “Negligent homicide”
  • “Gross negligence”

Related Words or Phrases

  • Lack of attention
  • Dereliction of duty

Collocations

  • “Negligence claim”
  • “Negligence lawsuit”

Frequency of Use

Negligence is a relatively infrequently used word in modern language, but it is still an important concept in various fields.

Common Misspellings

  • Neglisence
  • NNegligence

Related Words