violation
UK: ˌvaɪəˈleɪʃən | US: ˌvaɪəˈleɪʃən
n. the act of breaking or failing to comply with a rule, law, or agreement
n. disrespectful or harmful treatment of something sacred or valued
n. (rare) an instance of interrupting or disturbing peace or privacy
violation = viol<force/break> + ation<noun suffix>
- viol (from Latin violare, meaning "to treat with force, injure, or break")
- ation (a suffix forming nouns indicating an action or result, from Latin -atio)
Etymology Origin:
The word "violation" traces back to the Latin violatio, derived from violare ("to break, force, or profane"). It entered Middle English via Old French, retaining its core sense of transgressing boundaries—whether legal, moral, or physical. The root viol- appears in related words like "violence" (forceful harm) and "inviolable" (untouchable). The suffix -ation systematically turns verbs into nouns (e.g., "creation" from "create"). Historically, the term emphasized forceful breaches, later expanding to abstract rules or rights.
Speeding is a serious traffic violation.
The construction project caused a violation of environmental laws.
The protestors condemned the police for their violation of human rights.
Unauthorized access to the database constitutes a privacy violation.
The treaty violation led to diplomatic tensions between the two countries.