wan·ton
(w
n
t
n)
KEY
ADJECTIVE:
- Immoral or unchaste; lewd.
-
- Gratuitously cruel; merciless.
- Marked by unprovoked, gratuitous maliciousness; capricious and unjust:
wanton destruction.
- Unrestrainedly excessive:
wanton extravagance; wanton depletion of oil reserves.
- Luxuriant; overabundant:
wanton tresses.
- Frolicsome; playful.
- Undisciplined; spoiled.
-
Obsolete
Rebellious; refractory.
VERB:
wan·toned
,
wan·ton·ing
,
wan·tons
VERB:
intr.
- To act, grow, or move in a wanton manner; be wanton.
VERB:
tr.
- To waste or squander extravagantly.
NOUN:
- One who is immoral, lewd, or licentious.
- One that is playful or frolicsome.
- One that is undisciplined or spoiled.
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English
wantowen :
wan-,
not, lacking (from Old English; see
eu- in Indo-European roots) +
towen, past participle of
teen,
to bring up (from Old English
t
on,
to lead, draw; see
deuk- in Indo-European roots)
OTHER FORMS:
wanton·ly
(Adverb),
wanton·ness
(Noun)
