Discircumspection

/ˌdɪsɜːrkəmˈspɛkʃən/ noun

Definition

Lack of careful consideration or attention to circumstances; carelessness or heedlessness in examining or judging situations.

Etymology

From dis- (prefix meaning 'not' or 'absence of') + circumspection (from Latin circumspectio, meaning 'looking around carefully'). Circumspection comes from circum (around) + spectare (to look). The dis- prefix negates the careful attention that circumspection implies.

Kelly Says

This is a delightful word you almost never see because we just say 'carelessness' instead, but it's wonderfully specific—it means not having that careful 360-degree awareness that the root 'circumspection' demands.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.