le ‧ ni ‧ ent /ˈliːniənt/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: present participle of lenire 'to soften' ]
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,
— lenience noun [uncountable] :
the trend towards greater leniency for most offenders