English Explanatory Dictionary

lawlessness

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A lack of law; a lack of law and order; anarchy.
  2. Defiance of the law; outlawry, exorbitant levels of crime.

Pronunciation

En-us-lawlessness.oga

Word forms

lawlessness lawlessnesses

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *legʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *lagą Old Norse lag Old Norse lǫgbor. Old English lagu Middle English lawe Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les Middle English laweles English lawless Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English lawlessness From lawless + -ness.

Synonyms

unlaw illegality illegalness unlawfulness lawlessness Wild West free-for-all

Antonyms

law rule of law law and order lawfulness legality legalness

Related words

lawgiver lawmaker
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