English Explanatory Dictionary

wanton

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Undisciplined, unruly; not able to be controlled.
  2. Playful, sportive; merry or carefree.
  3. Lewd, immoral; sexually open, unchaste.
  4. Capricious, reckless of morality, justice etc.; acting without regard for the law or the well-being of others; gratuitous.
  5. Extravagant, unrestrained, excessive.
noun
  1. A pampered or coddled person.
  2. An overly playful person; a trifler.
  3. A self-indulgent person, fond of excess.
  4. A lewd or immoral person, especially a prostitute.
verb
  1. To rove and ramble without restraint, rule, or limit; to revel; to play loosely; to frolic.
  2. To waste or squander, especially in pleasure (most often with away).
  3. To act wantonly; to be lewd or lascivious.
noun
  1. wonton (Chinese dumpling)

Pronunciation

/ˈwɒntən/ wän'tən /ˈwɑntən/ en-us-wanton.ogg /ˈwɒntɒn/ En-au-wanton.ogg

Word forms

wanton more wanton wantoner most wanton wantonest wantons wantoning wantoned

Etymology

From Middle English wantoun, wantowen, wantoȝen, wantowe (“uneducated; unrestrained; licentious; sportive; playful”), from wan- (“not, un-, mis-”) + towen, i-towen (“educated”, literally “towed; led; drawn”), from Old English togen, ġetogen, past participle of tēon (“to train, discipline”), equivalent to wan- + towed.

Synonyms

anarchic anarchical bratty chaotic difficult dionysiac dionysian disciplineless fractious governless gung ho indisciplined irrepressible lawless loose-handed rampant rantipole reinless stanchless unbridled unchecked uncontrolled uncontrollable undisciplined ungovernable ungoverned uninhibited unreined unrestrained unruly untoward unvanquished out of control out of joint wanton wild coltish frisky frolicsome abuzz active agile airy alive animate animated brisk busy busy as a bee buxom buzzing diligent driven driving dynamic eager effervescent energetic enthusiastic expeditious

Antonyms

apollonian constrained disciplined inhibited repressible restrained ruly under control orderly

Related words

libidinous maenadic enthusiastic libertine obstinate wantonly wantonness wantonry

Derived words

wag-wanton wanton kittens make sober cats witwanton
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