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Added 9 October 2026

neglect

/nɪˈɡlɛkt/ noun

In Latin: neglegō First recorded: 1460 Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about neglect at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Lack of attention and due care.
The state of something that has been unused and neglected.
the house was in a terrible state of neglect
Willful lack of care and attention.

verb

Leave undone or leave out.
How could I miss that typo?
Fail to do something; leave something undone.
She failed to notice that her child was no longer in his crib
Fail to attend to.
he neglects his children

Origin

The verb is inherited from Middle English neglect, neclect, derived from Latin neglēctus, perfect passive participle of neglegō (“to make light of, disregard, not to pick up”), itself from nec (“not”) + legō (“to pick up, select”). The noun is from neglēctus (“neglect”). First attested in 1460, the noun in 1588.

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

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