Wantonest

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. exhibiting the highest degree of indulgence and reckless behavior that shows a blatant disregard for moral constraints or consequences
2. Demonstrating the utmost degree of uncontrolled and reckless actions without regard for rules or consequences
3. Being the most excessively indulgent and lacking any concern for social norms or the impact of behavior

Etymology: "Wantonest" is the superlative of "wanton," and the adjective's roots are more surprising than its current sense suggests. Its Middle English ancestor, "wantoun," was built from "wan-," meaning "not" or "un-," plus "towen," a word meaning "educated" that literally meant "towed, led, or drawn." The idea was of someone who had never been trained or disciplined, so untamed and unrestrained. Early uses covered playfulness as well as licentiousness, so the sense of frolicsome high spirits sat alongside the sense of moral looseness. The word's disapproving edge grew from that untrained core. A person or animal that had not been brought under discipline was expected to misbehave, and over time "wanton" settled into describing reckless, shameless conduct, which is the sense the superlative carries here. Unrelated to the English word, the spelling "wonton" that appears on Chinese dumplings comes from a Cantonese term, 雲吞 (wan4 tan1), which English borrowed for the dish. The two words are simply homographs in the modern sense of spelling, not relatives.

Synonyms: most reckless, most unrestrained, most extravagant, most undisciplined, most immoral

Antonyms: most restrained, most moral, most prudent, most careful, most disciplined