Negligence
/ˈnɛɡ.lɪ.dʒəns/noun
The failure to take proper care in doing something, resulting in damage or injury.
Did you know?In Roman law, negligence was viewed as a serious moral failing, linking it to the idea of personal responsibility and fate in the eyes of the gods.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
neglegentia
“carelessness or disregard”
Middle English
Middle English
negligence
“the quality of being negligent”
14th Century
French
négligence
“a state of neglect”
Modern English
English
negligence
“the failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in like circumstances.”
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