Wantoon
/ˈwɒn.tən/noun
An archaic or dialectal spelling of wanton, meaning sexually unrestrained, unruly, or playfully mischievous.
Did you know?Wantoon is an old spelling of wanton, whose first element was not the verb “want” but Old English wan-, meaning deficient or lacking—so its history reflects moral judgment, not desire magic.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dewk-
“To lead or pull”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*tauhjan
“To lead, draw, or train”
Old English
Old English
wan-togen
“Lacking training or discipline; badly brought up”
Middle English
Middle English
wantoun
“Unruly, undisciplined, or sexually unrestrained”
15th–16th Century
English
wantoon
“An alternative spelling of wanton”
Modern English
English
wanton
“Unrestrained, reckless, playful, or sexually promiscuous”