Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

lenient

/ˈliːni.ənt/ adjective

In Latin: clēmēns Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about lenient at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Lax; not strict; tolerant of dissent or deviation.
The standard is fairly lenient, so use your discretion.

noun

A lenitive; an emollient.

Origin

From Middle French lénient, from Latin lēniēns (whence -i- + -ent), present participle of lēnīre (“to soften, soothe”), from lēnis (“soft”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word