Origin:
1520–30; < Latin neglēctus, variant of neclēctus (past participle of neglegere, neclegere to disregard, ignore, slight), equivalent to nec not + leg-, base of legere to pick up + -tus past participle suffix
Related forms ne·glect·ed·ly, adverb
ne·glect·ed·ness, noun
ne·glect·er, ne·glec·tor, noun
o·ver·ne·glect, verb (used with object)
pre·ne·glect, verb (used with object)
qua·si-ne·glect·ed, adjective
self-ne·glect, adjective
self-ne·glect·ing, adjective
un·ne·glect·ed, adjective
Synonyms1. ignore. See
slight.
6, 7. default, inattention, heedlessness.
Neglect, dereliction, negligence, remissness imply carelessness, failure, or some important omission in the performance of one's duty, a task, etc.
Neglect and
negligence are occasionally interchangeable, but
neglect commonly refers to an instance,
negligence to the habit or trait, of failing to attend to or perform what is expected or required:
gross neglect of duty; negligence in handling traffic problems. Dereliction implies culpable or reprehensible neglect or failure in the performance of duty:
dereliction in a position of responsibility. Remissness implies the omission or the careless or indifferent performance of a duty:
remissness in filing a report on the accident. Antonyms
6. attention, care.