licentious

adjective

li·cen·tious lī-ˈsen(t)-shəs How to pronounce licentious (audio)

: lacking legal or moral restraints

especially : disregarding sexual restraints

licentious behavior

licentious revelers

: marked by disregard for strict rules of correctness

licentiously adverb

licentiousness noun

Did you know?

The Shared Roots of License and Licentious

License and licentious come ultimately from the same word in Latin, licentia, whose meanings ranged from "freedom to act" to "unruly behavior, wantonness." The Latin noun was itself derived from the verb licere "to be permitted." Though we are likely to associate license with the card that grants freedom or permission to operate a motor vehicle and licentious with sexual wantonness, in actuality, there is considerable semantic overlap between the two words. Poetic license refers to deviation from a (usually) literary norm for some purposeful effect. A person who takes license with something (or someone) engages in "abusive disregard for rules of personal conduct." Hence, the semantic range of license in English mirrors that of its Latin antecedent, suggesting either permission or transgression, depending upon the context. Licentious, on the other hand, always implies excessive, transgressive freedom, as is true of its immediate Latin source, licentiosus "unrestrained, wanton" (literally, "full of freedom").

Example Sentences

a moralist who decried what she regarded as the licentious and corrupt culture of the entertainment industry

Recent Examples on the Web And the resolution of the story, while not exactly a shock, is a departure from that of its ancestor, which in contrast now seems almost licentious.

John Anderson, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 Underneath the uniform of Sister Hilda, Woolgar (who also played the licentious Lady Repton on Harlots) sports cascades of strawberry blonde waves.

Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, 17 Mar. 2022 In this outing, there is literally no forgiving the rich powerful playboy Duke, whose grossly licentious sexism was likely accepted endemic at the time, but is just despicable today.

Bill Hirschman, sun-sentinel.com, 14 Mar. 2022 This is just one of many physical violations that Ratajkowski recounts having incurred from the licentious men in her orbit.

Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2021 Every summer, stories of bad behavior -- usually linked to drinking, brawling and general licentious antics -- abound.

Julia Buckley, CNN, 17 July 2021 The partial emptiness of office buildings gave Midtown a licentious, anything-goes feeling.

New York Times, 12 June 2021 Descriptions of Nero as unhinged and licentious belong to a rhetorical tradition of personal attack that flourished in the Roman courtroom.

Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 7 June 2021 Like Bacchus himself, Pompeians had a licentious side, here resulting in a split in the exhibition path.

Judith H. Dobrzynski, WSJ, 26 May 2021 See More

单词	licentiousness
释义	licentious adjective li·cen·tious lī-ˈsen(t)-shəs 1 : lacking legal or moral restraints especially : disregarding sexual restraints licentious behavior licentious revelers 2 : marked by disregard for strict rules of correctness licentiously adverb licentiousness noun Did you know? The Shared Roots of License and Licentious License and licentious come ultimately from the same word in Latin, licentia, whose meanings ranged from "freedom to act" to "unruly behavior, wantonness." The Latin noun was itself derived from the verb licere "to be permitted." Though we are likely to associate license with the card that grants freedom or permission to operate a motor vehicle and licentious with sexual wantonness, in actuality, there is considerable semantic overlap between the two words. Poetic license refers to deviation from a (usually) literary norm for some purposeful effect. A person who takes license with something (or someone) engages in "abusive disregard for rules of personal conduct." Hence, the semantic range of license in English mirrors that of its Latin antecedent, suggesting either permission or transgression, depending upon the context. Licentious, on the other hand, always implies excessive, transgressive freedom, as is true of its immediate Latin source, licentiosus "unrestrained, wanton" (literally, "full of freedom"). Synonyms concupiscent goatish horny hot hypersexual itchy lascivious lecherous lewd libidinous lubricious lubricous lustful oversexed passionate randy salacious satyric wanton See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences a moralist who decried what she regarded as the licentious and corrupt culture of the entertainment industry Recent Examples on the Web And the resolution of the story, while not exactly a shock, is a departure from that of its ancestor, which in contrast now seems almost licentious. John Anderson, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 Underneath the uniform of Sister Hilda, Woolgar (who also played the licentious Lady Repton on Harlots) sports cascades of strawberry blonde waves. Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, 17 Mar. 2022 In this outing, there is literally no forgiving the rich powerful playboy Duke, whose grossly licentious sexism was likely accepted endemic at the time, but is just despicable today. Bill Hirschman, sun-sentinel.com, 14 Mar. 2022 This is just one of many physical violations that Ratajkowski recounts having incurred from the licentious men in her orbit. Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2021 Every summer, stories of bad behavior -- usually linked to drinking, brawling and general licentious antics -- abound. Julia Buckley, CNN, 17 July 2021 The partial emptiness of office buildings gave Midtown a licentious, anything-goes feeling. New York Times, 12 June 2021 Descriptions of Nero as unhinged and licentious belong to a rhetorical tradition of personal attack that flourished in the Roman courtroom. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 7 June 2021 Like Bacchus himself, Pompeians had a licentious side, here resulting in a split in the exhibition path. Judith H. Dobrzynski, WSJ, 26 May 2021 See More Word History Etymology Latin licentiosus, from licentia First Known Use 1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Legal Definition licentious adjective li·cen·tious lī-ˈsen-chəs : disregarding legal restraints especially with regard to sexual relations arrested as a prostitute for licentious sexual intercourse licentiousness noun as in immorality immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society our minister often condemns the licentiousness he sees cavalierly portrayed in today's mass media Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance immorality corruption sin sinfulness evil libertinism libertinage debauchery profligacy evilness corruptness depravity vice iniquity badness dissoluteness bad wickedness criminality ill lasciviousness lewdness blackness vileness turpitude villainy wantonness iniquitousness unscrupulousness viciousness degeneracy evildoing perversion heinousness debasement lechery meanness indecency baseness fiendishness wrong devilry deviltry looseness degeneration villainousness taboo abomination dissolution atrociousness wretchedness dirtiness lowness lousiness anathema miserableness depravedness despicableness pervertedness reprehensibleness tabu Antonyms & Near Antonyms virtue morality rectitude right righteousness uprightness legitimacy probity goodness integrity honesty good scrupulosity purity scrupulousness honor chastity innocence propriety virtuousness perfection decency blamelessness correctness rightness seemliness cleanness pureness spotlessness decorousness See More
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licentious

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Legal Definition

adjective

noun