PROMISCUOUS


Meaning of PROMISCUOUS in English

/ prəˈmɪskjuəs; NAmE / adjective ( disapproving )

1.

having many sexual partners :

promiscuous behaviour

a promiscuous lifestyle

to be sexually promiscuous

2.

( formal ) taken from a wide range of sources, especially without careful thought :

promiscuous reading

a stylistically promiscuous piece of music

►  prom·is·cu·ity / ˌprɒmɪsˈkjuːəti; NAmE ˌprɑːməs-/ noun [ U ]:

sexual promiscuity

►  prom·is·cu·ous·ly adverb

••

WORD ORIGIN

early 17th cent.: from Latin promiscuus indiscriminate, (based on miscere to mix) + -ous . The early sense was consisting of elements mixed together , giving rise to indiscriminate and undiscriminating , which led to the notion of casual .

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.