Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Negligent for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is "Negligent" — adjective, pronounced /ˈnɛɡlɪdʒənt/, with the stress on "neg".
Narrator: Negligent means failing to take proper care, careless or inattentive.
Narrator: In plain English, a negligent person is careless — like a negligent driver who causes an accident.
Narrator: It comes from the Latin negligens, meaning careless, from neglegere, to disregard.
Narrator: "A negligent driver" describes a driver who fails to take proper care.
Narrator: It differs from careless because negligent is legal, whereas careless is everyday.
Narrator: "Negligent in one's duties" is a sense meaning failing to do what one should.
Narrator: Law, care, workplace, safety and everyday speech all rely on the word negligent.
Narrator: So remember: negligent means careless, from the Latin for careless.
Speaker A: What does negligent mean?
Speaker B: Careless! NEGLIGENT comes from the Latin negligens, careless, from neglegere, to disregard, so it means failing to take proper care.
Speaker A: So a negligent driver is careless?
Speaker B: Yes — and legally liable!
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: "A negligent driver"; "negligent in one's duties"; "negligent behaviour" — driving, duty and conduct.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: Don't confuse negligent with negligible, because negligent means careless, while negligible means insignificant.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: 'Careless' the general cousin, 'remiss' the formal twin, 'lax' the loose alternative. The word keeps its careless charm!
Speaker B: Let's use "negligent" in AI prompts — useful for legal apps and safety tools.
Speaker A: So a prompt could frame law?
Speaker B: Right. For a legal app, you'd write:
Prompt: Write a short guide to negligent behaviour, naming two examples.
Speaker A: How about a safety tool?
Speaker B: Ask the model to advise:
Prompt: Draft a guide to preventing negligent driving, naming two rules.
Speaker A: Could it help with a workplace bot?
Speaker B: Yes, you can frame duty:
Prompt: Summarise in two sentences what negligent duty means, naming one consequence.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: For an insurance chatbot, try this:
Prompt: Write a short note on negligent claims, naming one factor.
Negligent — meaning in Arabic & definition More N courses GL Dictionary