idleness

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English

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”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈaɪdəlnəs/
  • Hyphenation: idle‧ness
  • Audio (US)(file)

Noun

idleness (countable and uncountable, plural idlenesses)

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

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