Wordwyrt

idleness

/ˈaɪdəlnəs/EYE-duhl-nuhs
/ˈaɪdəlnəs/EYE-duhl-nuhs

Meaningthe state of being idle

Common meaning: laziness

Other meanings: not working

Journey through time

  1. Old Englishidel‘idleness, vanity, futility, frivolity’sourceB&T
  2. Middle Englishidelsource
  3. Englishidle‘not working’
  4. Englishformed in English from idleidleness‘laziness’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from idle + -ness.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), IDLE, p.280 · scan

Source words

  • idel Old English · source word “empty, vain, useless”

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