Other forms: infractions
An infraction is a breaking of a rule. A minor infraction, an infraction of the code, penalised for the infraction.
It is formal and mostly American, where in some states an infraction is the lowest class of offence, below a misdemeanour, punished by a fine and no more. In sport it is the standard word for a foul in the rule book rather than on the pitch.
1nouninfractionA breaking of a rule.
“Even a minor infraction, like parking on the grass, will result in a fine.”
infraction is a breach.
Latin infractio comes from infringere, to break into — in plus frangere, to break. Infringe is the same verb.
Proto-Indo-European
*bʰreg-
Latin
infractio
Middle French
infraction
English, today
infraction
Built from
From Middle French infraction, from Latin infractio, from infractum, past participle of infringere, from in (“in”) + frangere (“to break”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA