What does derelict mean?
Derelict functions as both an adjective and a noun. As an adjective, it describes something abandoned to decay — a derelict building, factory, or stretch of land left neglected and unusable. It also has a formal second sense: failing in one's duty, as in 'dereliction of duty,' a phrase common in military, legal, and professional contexts. As a noun, derelict refers either to a person abandoned by society, particularly someone homeless living on the streets, or to property such as a ship that its owner has deliberately given up. The word derives from Latin derelinquere, 'to abandon utterly,' the same root behind relinquish and delinquency, so its core meaning of being wholly forsaken runs through every sense. Today the adjective dominates everyday use, appearing constantly in discussions of urban regeneration and neglected property, while the noun sense for people is considered dated and potentially insensitive. Its connotations are strongly negative: ruin, abandonment, and neglect.
A person without a home or job who lives on the streets; also, property, especially a ship, that has been abandoned by its owner.
"The old sailor spent his last years as a derelict on the waterfront."
The sense referring to homeless people is dated and often considered insensitive.
In a very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect; (of a person) failing to do what duty requires.
"They converted a derelict chapel into a community arts centre."
Regular plural, used chiefly for the noun senses referring to people or abandoned vessels.
"The mission provided hot meals to the derelicts who gathered along the riverfront."
'Derelict' comes from the Latin for 'wholly forsaken' — the same root that gives us 'relinquish,' so every derelict building is literally something the world has let go.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of derelict
Derelict comes from Latin derelinquere, formed from de- ('utterly') plus relinquere ('to leave behind, abandon'), the same verb that gives English relinquish. The word entered English in the mid-seventeenth century, first in legal and nautical contexts describing goods or ships voluntarily abandoned. Its use expanded to describe people forsaken by society and later, by the nineteenth century, buildings and land left to ruin. Cognates sharing the relinquere root include relinquish, delinquent, and relic.
Related word forms
How derelict is actually used
The adjective sense describing neglected buildings and land is by far the most common in modern usage, especially British English. The noun meaning 'homeless person' is somewhat dated and can sound harsh or judgmental today; 'person experiencing homelessness' is generally preferred. The nautical noun sense survives mainly in maritime law. 'Dereliction of duty' is the standard fixed phrase for serious failure to fulfil an official obligation.
Easily confused with derelict
A delinquent is someone (often a young person) who fails to do what the law or duty requires, typically through wrongdoing, while a derelict as a noun is a person abandoned and homeless, or abandoned property.