Desobedience

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of deliberately or negligently failing to follow a rule, law, or instruction
2. Refusing to comply with an order or requirement that one is expected to follow
3. The state of not obeying an authority, command, or established rule

Etymology: "Obey" comes from Latin "oboedire," built from "ob-" (toward) and "audire" (to hear). To obey was originally to listen closely to someone and turn toward their voice. The Latin noun "oboedientia" carried the same sense and gave English "obedience." "Disobedience" adds the Latin prefix "dis-," meaning "apart" or "not," so it literally names a failure to listen and respond. The English noun came through Old French, which had "desobeissance," and it entered English during the Middle English period. Your request spells it "desobedience," which is a misspelling of "disobedience."