incontinent
incontinent Lexical Profile
incontinent Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Unable to control the natural discharge or evacuation of urine or feces.
"The elderly dog became incontinent in his final months and required special care from the veterinarian."
Lacking self-restraint or moderation, especially in regard to passions, appetites, or desires.
"The philosopher warned against incontinent anger that clouds rational judgment and leads to regret."
Word Nuance & Usage
In modern usage, 'incontinent' almost exclusively refers to the medical inability to control bladder or bowel functions; using it in its older literary sense of 'lacking moral self-restraint' risks unintended clinical humor unless the formal context is unmistakable.
• Rhymes for incontinent
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French incontinent, from Latin incontinentem ('not holding together, immoderate'), formed from the privative prefix in- ('not') and continere ('to hold together, restrain').