Etymology Dictionary

WANTON,  playful, sportive, unrestrained.  (E.)   The true sense is unrestrained, uneducated, not taken in hand by a master; hence, licentious.   M.E. wantoun, contracted form of wantowen; spelt wantoun, Chaucer, C. T. 208; spelt wantowen, wantowne, wanton, P. Plowman, C. iv. 143, where it is applied to women.   Compounded of wan-, prefix, and towen, pp.   β. The prefix wan- signifies 'lacking, wanting,' and is explained under Wane.   In composition it has sometimes the force of un- (to which it is not related), but also gives an ill sense, almost like Gk. δυς-.   γ. The pp. towen stands for A.S. togen, pp. of teón, to draw, to educate, bring up, Grein, ii. 527.   The change from A.S. g to M.E. w (between 2 vowels) is seen again in A.S. mugan = M.E. mowen, to be able, and is quite regular.   The A.S. togen is cognate with G. gezogen, so that E. wanton, ill-bred, corresponds very nearly to G. ungezogen, 'ill-bred, unmannerly, rude, uncivil,' Flügel.   For an account of A.S. teón, see Tug.   Mr. Wedgwood well cites wel i-towene, well educated, modest, Ancren Riwle, p. 204, l. 17; vntowune, licentious, id. p. 342, l. 26.   Examples abound.   Der. wanton-ly; wanton-ness, M.E. wantounesse, Chaucer, C. T. 266.   Also wanton, sb.