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nuisance
noun
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What is an attractive nuisance?
Nuisance is a fine example of a word that has taken on a weakened meaning. It has been in use in English since the 15th century, and for much of that time signified "harm" or "injury" rather than mere "annoyance" (the word came into our language from French, but it can be traced back to the Latin nocēre, meaning “to harm”). In the early 19th century nuisance began to see considerable use in reference to people or things that were obnoxious rather than injurious, and that meaning has become the prevalent one. We retain evidence of the word’s earlier "harm" sense, however, in the legal term attractive nuisance, which refers to an enticing thing or condition (such as an unattended ladder leaning against a house) that might attract a child and cause them injury.
Synonyms
Examples of nuisance in a Sentence
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nuisance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Middle English nusaunce, noisaunce "harm, damage, (in law) cause of annoyance or inconvenience," borrowed from Anglo-French nusance, noisance, from nuis-, nois-, nus-, stem of nuire, nure, noisir, nuser "to injure, damage, vex" (going back to Latin nocēre "to injure, harm") + -ance -ance — more at noxious
Note: The meanings of Anglo-French nuire and nusance have been influenced by partially overlapping forms of noier "to annoy, vex," an aphetic form of anoier, ennoier (see annoy).
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing nuisance
Dictionary Entries Near nuisance
Cite this Entry
“Nuisance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nuisance. Accessed 2 Sep. 2024.
Kids Definition
nuisance
nounLegal Definition
nuisance
nounNote: The doctrine of attractive nuisance originated in an 1873 U.S. Supreme Court case, Sioux City & Pacific Railroad Co. v. Stout, 84 U.S. 657 (1873), involving a trespassing child injured by a railroad turntable; an early premise was that the attractive nuisance caused the trespass, and so by extension the owner was responsible for the trespass as well. Subsequent modification of the doctrine has focused on the possessor's duty to use care in preventing injury, whether a child is a trespasser or invitee.
called also nuisance per accidens
compare nuisance per se in this entrycalled also nuisance at law
compare nuisance in fact in this entrycalled also common nuisance
Anglo-French nusaunce, from Old French nuire to harm, from Latin nocēre
More from Merriam-Webster on nuisance
Nglish: Translation of nuisance for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of nuisance for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nuisance
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