What does negligence mean?
Negligence means failing to exercise the care that a reasonable person would exercise in a given situation. It can involve an omission rather than a direct action, such as failing to repair unsafe equipment, ignore a warning, or provide appropriate supervision. The term is especially common in legal, workplace, and public-safety contexts, where negligence may lead to compensation claims, disciplinary action, or criminal liability. In general use, negligence carries a strongly negative connotation because it suggests inattention, poor judgment, or disregard for other people's safety. It differs from accidental misfortune: an accident alone is not negligence if the person involved acted reasonably. The related adjective negligent describes a person or organisation that fails to meet the expected standard of care, while negligently describes how an action is performed. The word ultimately comes from Latin roots meaning “to overlook” or “to take no notice of,” reflecting its longstanding association with failure to pay proper attention.
nounThe failure to exercise reasonable care or attention, especially when this results in harm or damage. In law, it usually refers to conduct that falls below the standard expected of a careful person in the circumstances.
- The failure to exercise reasonable care or attention, especially where this causes harm or damage.
- Lack of attention to a matter through carelessness or an intentional disregard for what should be done.
"The landlord's negligence in repairing the stairs led to the tenant's injury."
"The company was criticized for its negligence in failing to maintain its equipment."
"She was accused of negligence after leaving her children unattended."
The plural is uncommon, but it is used when referring to separate instances or acts of negligence.
"The report documented several negligences in the handling of confidential records."
Negligence is the everyday name for a failure of care that, in law, can carry serious consequences.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does negligence come from?
Negligence comes through French négligence from Latin negligentia, a noun formed from negligere, “to overlook, disregard, or take no notice of.” The Latin root combines the negative prefix neg- with leger, “to gather, pick up, or attend to,” and cognates include negligent and negligible. English borrowed the word in the 16th century, initially in the sense of carelessness or inattention.
Related word forms
How negligence is actually used
The word is formal and commonly used in legal, workplace, and public-safety contexts. It can describe conduct, performance, or the omission of a necessary action; in a legal setting, the precise meaning depends on the applicable law and standard of care.
Easily confused with negligence
Negligence is careless conduct or a failure to take proper care, whereas negligible means too small or unimportant to be worth considering.