CategoryArchaic Word / Moral Term
Modern Equivalentreckless indulgence; unrestrained behavior.
KJV Word TypeNoun
DefinitionUndisciplined, self-indulgent, or unrestrained conduct, especially behavior marked by excess or moral carelessness.
Key Verses"Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness." (Romans 13:13)
KJV Usage NoteCommonly appears in moral warnings about excess, disorder, or lack of restraint.
Common MisunderstandingIt does not simply mean playfulness; in the KJV it usually has a negative moral sense.
EtymologyFrom Middle English wanton, meaning "untrained, undisciplined, or reckless."