Etymology

delinquent

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Today it means: Late or failing to pay a debt or other financial obligation, like a mortgage or loan. Full definition →

Middle French délinquant ← Latin delinquens
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromdelinquens
  2. Middle French · borrowed fromdélinquant
  3. English todaydelinquent

Borrowed from Middle French délinquant, ultimately from Latin delinquens, present participle of delinquo.

Words from the same roots

Latindelinquens all →

delinquency

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.