licentious

[ lahy-sen-shuhs ]

adjective

1. sexually unrestrained; lascivious; libertine; lewd.
2. unrestrained by law or general morality; lawless; immoral.

   Synonyms: profligate, abandoned

   Antonyms: lawful

3. going beyond customary or proper bounds or limits; disregarding rules.

licentious

/ laɪˈsɛnʃəs /

adjective

1. sexually unrestrained or promiscuous
2. rare.
   showing disregard for convention

Derived Forms

• liˈcentiousness, noun
• liˈcentiously, adverb

Other Words From

• li·cen·tious·ly adverb
• li·cen·tious·ness noun
• non·li·cen·tious adjective
• non·li·cen·tious·ly adverb
• o·ver·li·cen·tious adjective
• o·ver·li·cen·tious·ly adverb
• un·li·cen·tious adjective
• un·li·cen·tious·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of licentious¹

First recorded in 1525–35, licentious is from the Latin word licentiōsus “unrestrained”; license, -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of licentious¹

C16: from Latin licentiōsus capricious, from licentia licence

Example Sentences

Japan and the West had different sexual mores, but Japan’s culture was not particularly licentious or permissive.

From Washington Post

He’s a licentious cad — flip and arrogant, a little romantic but mostly skeevy, and shallow as a Champagne coupe.

From New York Times

Failing to return Henry Miller’s licentious “Tropic of Cancer,” borrowed two decades earlier.

From Washington Post

In exchange, Zalmy gets to ask Jonathan, who’s about ten years older and infinitely more worldly, about sex in licentious Manhattan.

From Los Angeles Times

A licentious, money-drenched, morally bankrupt and intellectually vacuous ruling class, accountable to no one and free to plunder and prey on the weak like human vultures, rise to power in societies in terminal decline.

From Salon