neglected
UK[nɪˈɡlɛktɪd]US[nɪˈɡlɛktɪd]
adj
Suffering a lack of proper care or attention.
adj
Not receiving proper attention; disregarded.
Morpheme Breakdown
neg
lect
ed
neg
not
lect
choose, gather
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'neglected' originates from the Latin verb neglegere, meaning "to disregard" or "not to pick up," which is itself a compound of neg- ("not") and legere ("to choose, gather"). This literal sense of "not choosing to gather" evolved into the abstract meaning of failing to care for or pay attention to something. The past participle form neglectus entered English via French, with the '-ed' suffix solidifying its adjectival role, describing the state of having been disregarded or left uncared for.
Analysis
Structure: neg (not) + lect (choose, gather) + ed (adjective suffix)
- neg: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "not".
- lect: Latin origin, from the root legere meaning "to choose, gather, read".
- ed: Old English origin, a suffix used to form adjectives from verbs, indicating a state or condition.
Examples
The old house had a sadly neglected garden.
She felt neglected by her friends who never called.
A neglected aspect of the study was the long-term social impact.