Infraction
/ɪnˈfræk.ʃən/noun
A violation or breaking of a law, rule, or agreement.
Did you know?Infraction comes from Latin frangere, meaning “to break,” the same root behind fracture, fragile, and fraction—so the word literally belongs to the family of breaking things apart.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰreg-
“to break”
Latin
Latin
frangere
“to break, shatter”
Latin
Latin
infractio
“a breaking, violation”
Old French
Old French
infraction
“a breaking, violation of a law or rule”
Late Middle English
English
infraction
“an act of breaking a rule or law”
Modern English
English
infraction
“a minor violation of a law, rule, or agreement”