Definitions for wanton
ˈwɒn tnwan·ton

Princeton's WordNet(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. wantonadjective

   lewd or lascivious woman

2. motiveless, unprovoked, wantonadjective

   occurring without motivation or provocation

   "motiveless malignity"; "unprovoked and dastardly attack"- F.D.Roosevelt

3. easy, light, loose, promiscuous, sluttish, wantonverb

   casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior

   "her easy virtue"; "he was told to avoid loose (or light) women"; "wanton behavior"

4. piddle, wanton, wanton away, piddle away, trifleverb

   waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently

5. wantonverb

   indulge in a carefree or voluptuous way of life

6. wanton, wanton away, trifle awayverb

   spend wastefully

   "wanton one's money away"

7. luxuriate, wantonverb

   become extravagant; indulge (oneself) luxuriously

8. wantonverb

   engage in amorous play

9. wantonverb

   behave extremely cruelly and brutally

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. wantonnoun

   A pampered or coddled person.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

2. wantonnoun

   An overly playful person.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

3. wantonnoun

   A self-indulgent person, fond of excess.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

4. wantonnoun

   A lewd or immoral person, especially a prostitute.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

5. wantonverb

   To act wantonly; become wanton.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

6. wantonverb

   To waste or squander, especially in pleasure (often with away).

   The young man wantoned away his inheritance.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

7. wantonadjective

   Undisciplined, unruly; not able to be controlled.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

8. wantonadjective

   Lewd, immoral; sexually open, unchaste.

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

9. wantonadjective

   Playful, sportive; being merry or carefree (often used figuratively).

   Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

10. wantonadjective

    Self-indulgent, fond of excess; luxurious.

    Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

11. wantonadjective

    Capricious, reckless of morality, justice etc.; acting without regard for the law or the well-being of others; gratuitous.

    Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

12. wantonadjective

    Extravagant, unrestrained; excessive (of speech or thought).

    Etymology: From wan- + (a descendant of) togen, past participle of teon.

Webster Dictionary(3.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Wantonverb

   untrained; undisciplined; unrestrained; hence, loose; free; luxuriant; roving; sportive

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

2. Wantonverb

   wandering from moral rectitude; perverse; dissolute

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

3. Wantonverb

   specifically: Deviating from the rules of chastity; lewd; lustful; lascivious; libidinous; lecherous

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

4. Wantonverb

   reckless; heedless; as, wanton mischief

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

5. Wantonnoun

   a roving, frolicsome thing; a trifler; -- used rarely as a term of endearment

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

6. Wantonnoun

   one brought up without restraint; a pampered pet

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

7. Wantonnoun

   a lewd person; a lascivious man or woman

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

8. Wantonverb

   to rove and ramble without restraint, rule, or limit; to revel; to play loosely; to frolic

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

9. Wantonverb

   to sport in lewdness; to play the wanton; to play lasciviously

   Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

10. Wantonverb

    to cause to become wanton; also, to waste in wantonness

    Etymology: [OE. wantoun, contr. from wantowen; pref. wan- wanting (see Wane, v. i.), hence expressing negation + towen, p. p., AS. togen, p. p. of ten to draw, to educate, bring up; hence, properly, ill bred. See Tug, v. t.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Wanton

   won′tun, adj. moving or playing loosely: roving in sport: frisky: wandering from rectitude: licentious: running to excess: unrestrained: irregular.—n. a wanton or lewd person, esp. a female: a trifler.—v.i. to ramble without restraint: to frolic: to play lasciviously.—adv. Wan′tonly.—n. Wan′tonness. [M. E. wantowen, from pfx. wan-, sig. want, A.S. togen, educated, pa.p. of teón, to draw, lead; cf. Ger. ungezogen, rude.]

Matched Categories

1. • Act
   • Flirt
   • Live
   • Spend
   • Squander

How to pronounce wanton?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say wanton in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of wanton in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of wanton in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of wanton in a Sentence

1. Gavin Newsom:

   Before she can be safely released, Van Houten must do more to develop her understanding of the factors that caused her to seek acceptance from such a negative, violent influence, and perpetrate extreme acts of wanton violence.

2. President Barack Obama:

   Right now, in 2015, fifty years after Selma, there are laws across this country designed to make it harder for people to vote. As we speak, more of such laws are being proposed, meanwhile, the Voting Rights Act, the culmination of so much blood, so much sweat and tears, the product of so much sacrifice in the face of wanton violence ... stands weakened.

3. Jeffrey Bank:

   Three women brutally attacked our hosts without provocation, got arrested and charged for their misconduct, and then, over the last several days, had their lawyer falsely and grossly misrepresent their acts of wanton violence in a cynical attempt to try to excuse the inexcusable.

4. Benjamin Netanyahu:

   Israel will not tolerate this. I will not tolerate this, and as we speak... Israel is responding forcefully to this wanton aggression.

5. William Shakespeare:

   Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York, And all the clouds that loured upon our house In the deep bosom of the ocean buried. Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths, Our bruised arms hung up for monuments, Our stern alarums changed to merry meetings, Our dreadful marches to delightful measures. Grim-visaged war hath smoothed his wrinkled front And now, instead of mounting barbed steeds To fright the souls of fearful adversaries, He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber To the lascivious pleasing of a lute. But I, that am not shaped for sportive tricks, Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass I, that am rudely stamped, and want love's majesty To strut before a wanton ambling nymph I, that am curtailed of this fair proportion, Cheated of feature by dissembling nature, Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time Into this breathing world, scarce half made up, And that so lamely and unfashionable That dogs bark at me as I halt by them,-- Why, I, in this weak piping time of peace, Have no delight to pass away the time, Unless to spy my shadow in the sun.

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