English Explanatory Dictionary

idleness

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The state of being idle; inactivity.
  2. The state of being indolent; indolence.
  3. Groundlessness; worthlessness; triviality; vanity; frivolity.

Pronunciation

/ˈaɪdəlnəs/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vininn126-idleness.wav

Word forms

idleness idlenesses

Etymology

From Middle English ydelnesse, from Old English īdelnes, from Proto-West Germanic *īdalnassī, equivalent to idle + -ness. Cognate with Old Frisian īdelnisse (“idelness”), obsolete Dutch ijdelnis, Old Saxon īdalnussi (“idleness, vanity”), Old High German ītalnissa (“idleness, vanity, emptiness”).

Related words

idledom idlehood idleship

Derived words

eat the bread of idleness love-in-idleness
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