the.com/infraction
A rule-breaking so minor even the rulebook shrugs while writing the fine.
means A violation of a rule, law, or agreement — usually a small one, like a parking ticket rather than a felony.
from From Latin 'infractio,' from 'infringere' — 'to break, crush, or weaken' — built from 'in-' (into) plus 'frangere' (to break), the same root that gives us 'fracture' and 'fragment.' So an infraction is literally a little breaking: not a shattering, just a crack in the rules.
- etymology
- from latin infringere, to break into pieces
- legal tier
- below misdemeanor, barely above a shrug
- typical penalty
- fine only, no jail, no drama
- common example
- parking tickets and rolling stops