entry
delinquent
/dɪˈlɪŋkwənt/A person who neglects duties or breaks the law
From Latin de- (Down) + Latin linquere (To leave or abandon).
from Latin delinquens, present participle of delinquo.
from Middle French délinquant, ultimately
Word Ancestry
from Latin delinquens, present participle of delinquo.
from Middle French délinquant, ultimately
Picture a Roman citizen leaving a duty undone: the Latin verb delinquere joined dē-, “completely,” with linquere, “to leave.” It could describe falling short or doing wrong, and its present participle, delinquens, named someone who had failed in an obligation. The word reached English through Middle French délinquant, becoming a noun by the late 15th century and an adjective around 1600. Linquere’s wider family includes relinquish and relic: one means to let go, the other is what has been left behind. A delinquent, at heart, is someone who has left an obligation behind—and then had to answer for it.
The Story
Picture a Roman citizen leaving a duty undone: the Latin verb delinquere joined dē-, “completely,” with linquere, “to leave.” It could describe falling short or doing wrong, and its present participle, delinquens, named someone who had failed in an obligation. The word reached English through Middle French délinquant, becoming a noun by the late 15th century and an adjective around 1600. Linquere’s wider family includes relinquish and relic: one means to let go, the other is what has been left behind. A delinquent, at heart, is someone who has left an obligation behind—and then had to answer for it.
Modern Usage
A young person characterized as a troublemaker or involved in minor offenses.
Kin & Kindred
From 'de-'·Down, away, or completely; here, an intensive prefix.
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From 'linquere'·To leave or abandon; in delinquere, to fail or do wrong.
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Urban Dictionary
Wiktionary