What does imprudence mean?

Definitions for imprudence
im·pru·dence

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word imprudence.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. imprudencenoun

    a lack of caution in practical affairs

Wiktionary

  1. imprudencenoun

    The quality or state of being imprudent; want of prudence, caution, discretion or circumspection; indiscretion; inconsideration; rashness; heedlessness.

  2. imprudencenoun

    An imprudent act.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Imprudencenoun

    Want of prudence; indiscretion; negligence; inattention to interest.

    Etymology: imprudence, Fr. imprudentia, Lat.

Wikipedia

  1. imprudence

    Prudence (Latin: prudentia, contracted from providentia meaning "seeing ahead, sagacity") is the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason. It is classically considered to be a virtue, and in particular one of the four cardinal virtues (which are, with the three theological virtues, part of the seven virtues). Prudentia is an allegorical female personification of the virtue, whose attributes are a mirror and snake, who is frequently depicted as a pair with Justitia, the Roman goddess of Justice. The word derives from the 14th-century Old French word prudence, which, in turn, derives from the Latin prudentia meaning "foresight, sagacity". It is often associated with wisdom, insight, and knowledge. In this case, the virtue is the ability to judge between virtuous and vicious actions, not only in a general sense, but with regard to appropriate actions at a given time and place. Although prudence itself does not perform any actions, and is concerned solely with knowledge, all virtues had to be regulated by it. Distinguishing when acts are courageous, as opposed to reckless or cowardly, is an act of prudence, and for this reason it is classified as a cardinal (pivotal) virtue. In modern English, the word has become increasingly synonymous with cautiousness. In this sense, prudence names a reluctance to take risks, which remains a virtue with respect to unnecessary risks, but, when unreasonably extended into over-cautiousness, can become the vice of cowardice. In the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle gives a lengthy account of the virtue phronesis (Ancient Greek: ϕρόνησις), traditionally translated as "prudence", although this has become increasingly problematic as the word has fallen out of common usage. More recently ϕρόνησις has been translated by such terms as "practical wisdom", "practical judgment" or "rational choice".

ChatGPT

  1. imprudence

    Imprudence is the lack of caution, care, or judgement; heedlessness or rashness. It's the act of making decisions or taking actions without considering the potential consequences or risks involved. It often implies behavior that is impulsively disregarding norms, rules, or ethics.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Imprudencenoun

    the quality or state of being imprudent; want to caution, circumspection, or a due regard to consequences; indiscretion; inconsideration; reshness; also, an imprudent act; as, he was guilty of an imprudence

  2. Etymology: [L. imprudentia: cf. F. imprudence. Cf. Improvidence.]

Matched Categories

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

How to pronounce imprudence?

How to say imprudence in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of imprudence in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of imprudence in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of imprudence in a Sentence

  1. Guicciardini:

    Plans that are wise and prudent in themselves are rendered vain when the execution of them is carried on negligently and with imprudence.

  2. Harriet Beecher Stowe:

    So long as the law considers all these human beings, with beating hearts and living affections, only as so many things belonging to the master -- so long as the failure, or misfortune, or imprudence, or death of the kindest owner, may cause them any day to exchange a life of kind protection and indulgence for one of hopeless misery and toil -- so long it is impossible to make anything beautiful or desirable in the best-regulated administration of slavery.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

imprudence#100000#182661#333333

Translations for imprudence

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

Get even more translations for imprudence »

Translation

Find a translation for the imprudence definition in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?

Please enter your email address:


Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"imprudence." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Dec. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/imprudence>.

Discuss these imprudence definitions with the community:

1 Comment
  • Pascuala Casas
    Pascuala Casas
    I understand this to mean lack of knowledge or thought to consequence of actions and words one engages in.
    LikeReply8 years ago

Are we missing a good definition for imprudence? Don't keep it to yourself...

Image or illustration of

imprudence

Credit »

Free, no signup required:

Add to Chrome

Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

Free, no signup required:

Add to Firefox

Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

Quiz

Are you a words master?

»
To make worse
A huff
B exacerbate
C caddie
D abet

Nearby & related entries:

Alternative searches for imprudence: