English Explanatory Dictionary

lethargic

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Sluggish, slow.
  2. Indifferent, apathetic.

Pronunciation

/ləˈθɑɹd͡ʒɪk/ /ləˈθɑːd͡ʒək/ /ləˈθɑː.d͡ʒɪk/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-lethargic.wav

Word forms

lethargic more lethargic most lethargic lethargick

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek ληθαργικός (lēthargikós), from λήθαργος (lḗthargos, “forgetful, lethargic”), from λήθη (lḗthē, “a forgetting, forgetfulness”) (from which Lethe (“river in Hades”)) + ἀργός (argós, “not working”). By surface analysis, lethargy + -ic.

Synonyms

torpid lazy unmoving abeyant at rest cessant dormant dull fallow idle inactive inert languid latent nonactive passive quiescent silent sedent sedentary slow suspended unactive unbusy unemployed unoccupied crawling slack slow-moving languorous draggy creeping dreich gastropodous glacial heavy-footed inching labored leaden lead-footed lethargic low-speed lumbering plodding pokey ponderous slothlike slow as a snail slow as Christmas slow as molasses slow as molasses in January slowfooted sluggish stately steady subglacial sullen tardigrade tedious testudineous

Related words

alethic alethiology lethargy Lethe philalethia

Derived words

antilethargic lethargically lethargicness
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