adjective
- guilty of or characterized by neglect, as of duty: negligent officials.
- lazily careless; offhand: a negligent wave of his manicured hand.
adjective
- habitually neglecting duties, responsibilities, etc; lacking attention, care, or concern; neglectful
- careless or nonchalant
adj.late 14c., from Old French negligent “careless, negligent” (13c.) or directly from Latin negligentem “heedless, careless, unconcerned” (see negligence). Related: Negligently.