neg·li·gence

[neg-li-juhns]
noun
1.
the quality, fact, or result of being negligent; neglect: negligence in discharging one's responsibilities.
2.
an instance of being negligent: a downfall brought about by many negligences.
3.
Law. the failure to exercise that degree of care that, in the circumstances, the law requires for the protection of other persons or those interests of other persons that may be injuriously affected by the want of such care.
adjective
4.
Law. pertaining to or involving a civil action for compensation for damages filed by a person who claims to have suffered an injury or loss in an accident caused by another's negligence: a negligence suit; a large negligence award.
Origin:
1300–50; Middle English, variant of necligence < Latin necligentia. See negligent, -ence

Related forms
non·neg·li·gence, noun
o·ver·neg·li·gence, noun
pre·neg·li·gence, noun
su·per·neg·li·gence, noun

Synonyms
1. See neglect.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Negligence is always a great word to know.
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a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
negligence (ˈnɛɡlɪdʒəns) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n
1.  the state or quality of being negligent
2.  a negligent act
3.  law a civil wrong whereby a person or party is in breach of a legal duty of care to another which results in loss or injury to the claimant

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

negligence
mid-14c., from L. neclegentia, neglegentia "carelessness, heedlessness," from neglegentem (nom. neglegens), prp. of neglegere "to neglect" (see neglect).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Penalty for negligence, fraudulent and frivolous returns.
But many seeming faults are to be imputed rather to the nature of the
  undertaking, than the negligence of the performer.
Criminal and civil investigations into negligence are being launched.
The problem here is negligence, not active malfeasance.
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