The state or quality of being delinquent; failure to do what is required, especially paying debts or following rules.
From Latin 'delinquentia,' derived from 'delinquere' (de- 'completely' + linquere 'to leave, abandon'). The meaning evolved from 'abandoning duty' to 'failing in obligation,' particularly financial or legal duties.
The root 'linquere' means 'to leave'—so delinquency literally means you've 'left your duty behind,' which is a poetic way of describing what happens when someone stops paying their bills or breaks the law.
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