What does infraction mean?
An infraction is a violation of a law, regulation, or established rule. The word is especially common in legal and administrative contexts, where it can refer to a minor offence such as a traffic infraction, although it can also describe a serious breach of a rule. In everyday use, “infraction” often suggests a failure to follow expected procedures or restrictions rather than an outright act of wrongdoing. It is more formal than “rule-breaking” and less emotionally charged than “violation” in some settings. The term is useful because it can apply broadly to breaches of different kinds of rules, from workplace procedures to traffic regulations. Related forms include “infringe,” meaning to violate a right or rule, and “infringement,” which often focuses specifically on an unauthorized breach of legal or proprietary rights.
nounAn act of breaking a rule, law, or regulation; an offence or violation. The term is often used for relatively minor legal or regulatory breaches.
- An act of breaking a law, rule, or regulation.
- A minor offence or violation.
"The company received a warning for an infraction of the safety regulations."
"Parking in a restricted zone is a minor infraction."
"The report documented every infraction of the competition rules."
The plural is used when referring to multiple violations or breaches of rules, laws, or regulations.
"The report identified several infractions of the building rules."
An infraction may be minor, but in legal language even a small breach of a rule can make a person answer for it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does infraction come from?
Infraction comes through French from Latin infractio, meaning “a breaking” or “breach.” The Latin noun was formed from infringere, “to break or violate,” which combines the prefix in- with frangere, “to break.” The same Latin root underlies words such as fracture and infringement, linking the modern sense of breaking a rule with the broader idea of breaking or splitting something.
Related word forms
How infraction is actually used
The word is formal and legalistic, but it is also used generally for violations of rules. It is less dramatic than “rebellion” or “transgression” in most contexts, and often suggests a comparatively minor breach.
Easily confused with infraction
An infraction is usually a specific violation, often of a rule or regulation, whereas an infringement is generally the unauthorized act of violating a right, such as copyright or patent rights.