(ˈ)lī|senchəs adjective
Etymology: Latin licentiosus, from licentia + -osus -ous
1. : marked by the absence of legal or moral restraints : hostile or offensive to accepted standards of conduct
the licentious practice … of making depredations upon foreign nations — Thomas Hutchinson
the lying and licentious character of our newspapers — Thomas Jefferson
2. : marked by lewdness : lascivious , unchaste
ribaldry … too well suited to the taste of a profane and licentious pit — T.B.Macaulay
a more depraved licentious lot of rascals don't exist — C.B.Nordhoff & J.N.Hall
3. : marked by neglect of or disregard for strict rules of correctness
verse … somewhat licentious in number of syllables — Henry Hallam
English speech was never more syntactically licentious — Havelock Ellis
• li·cen·tious·ly adverb