profligacy
nounUS /ˈpɹɑflɪɡəsi/
Etymology From proflig(ate) + -acy (with -acy a suffixal construction from -ate + -cy), from Latin prōflīgātus, past participle of Latin prōflīgō, from prō- (“forward”) + flīgō (“to strike, dash”) (whence pro-).
1
Careless wastefulness.
- No question has arisen within the records of history that pressed with the importance of the present.[…]whether man shall inherit his rights, and universal civilisation take place? Whether the fruits of his labours shall be enjoyed by himself or consumed by the profligacy of governments?1791, Thomas Paine, Rights of Man: Being an Answer to Mr. Burke’s Attack on the French Revolution, London: […] J. S. Jordan, […], →OCLC:
- She mixed furniture with the same fatal profligacy as she mixed drinks, and this outrageous contact between things which were intended by Nature to be kept poles apart gave her an inexpressible thrill.1935, George Goodchild, chapter 1, in Death on the Centre Court:
2 more examples
- Villa spent most of the second period probing from wide areas and had a succession of corners but despite their profligacy they will be glad to overturn the 6-0 hammering they suffered at St James' Park in August following former boss Martin O'Neill's departure2011 April 10, Alistair Magowan, “Aston Villa 1-0 Newcastle”, in BBC Sport:
- Outsiders who scoffed at this profligacy misunderstood the masquerade. Condé’s editors were the original influencers, their lives a top-to-bottom marketing campaign for the company that hired them.2025 June 27, Michael M. Grynbaum, “The Concorde-and-Caviar Era of Condé Nast, When Magazines Ruled the Earth”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
2
Shameless and immoral behaviour.
- He had, indeed, reduced several women to a state of utter profligacy, had broke the hearts of some, and had the honour of occasioning the violent death of one poor girl, who had either drowned herself, or, what was rather more probable, had been drowned by him.1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
- Sir Robert bitterly reproached himself for having consigned his child to another, when he saw the effect of too early initiation into profligacy, or, as Francis called it, knowledge of the world.1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, pages 58–59:
- Synonyms
- carrying-on, Corinthianism, knavery, profligacy, rakehood, vice
- Antonyms
- virtue
- Related terms
- immoral
- Hypernyms
- improbity