Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1600-1700
Language: Latin
Origin: , present participle of lenire 'to soften'

lenient

 adjective
     
le‧ni‧ent
not strict in the way you punish someone or in the standard you expect:
the lenient sentences handed down by some judges
School examiners say that marking has become more lenient in recent years.
—leniently adverb
—leniency also lenience noun [uncountable]
the trend towards greater leniency for most offenders
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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