indolent

English

WOTD – 18 December 2008

Etymology

From French indolent or directly from Late Latin indolēns, from in- (not) +‎ dolēns (hurting), from doleo (to hurt).[1][2] The later sense of “living easily, slothful” perhaps developed in French.[2]

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈɪn.də.lənt/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Adjective

indolent (comparative more indolent, superlative most indolent)

  1. Habitually lazy, procrastinating, or resistant to physical labor.
    The indolent girl resisted doing her homework.
    • 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, volume II, chapter 18:
      Mr. Churchill has pride; but his pride is nothing to his wife’s: his is a quiet, indolent, gentlemanlike sort of pride that would harm nobody, and only make himself a little helpless and tiresome; but her pride is arrogance and insolence!
  2. Inducing laziness.
    indolent comfort
  3. (medicine) Causing little or no physical pain; progressing slowly; inactive (of an ulcer, etc.).
  4. (medicine) Healing slowly.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

References

  1. ^ indolent, adj. and n.”, in OED Online , Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “indolent (adj.)”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Anagrams

Danish

Etymology

Borrowed from French indolent, from Latin indolens, from in- (not) +‎ dolēns (hurting), from doleo (to hurt).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [endoˈlɛnˀd]

Adjective

indolent (plural and definite singular attributive indolente)

  1. indolent, indifferent, dull

Inflection

Inflection of indolent
positive comparative superlative
indefinite common singular indolent mere indolent mest indolent2
indefinite neuter singular indolent mere indolent mest indolent2
plural indolente mere indolent mest indolent2
definite attributive1 indolente mere indolent mest indolente

1 When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite,
the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
2 The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

Synonyms

References

French

Etymology

From Latin indolentem, accusative singular masculine and feminine of indolēns, from in- (not) + dolēns (pain).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛ̃.dɔ.lɑ̃/
  • Homophone: indolents

Adjective

indolent (feminine indolente, masculine plural indolents, feminine plural indolentes)

  1. indolent (all senses)

Further reading

German

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin indolens.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɪndoˈlɛnt/, /ˈɪndolɛnt/
  • Audio (Germany (Berlin)):(file)
  • Audio (Germany (Berlin)):(file)
  • Hyphenation: in‧do‧lent

Adjective

indolent (strong nominative masculine singular indolenter, comparative indolenter, superlative am indolentesten)

  1. indolent (mentally lazy)
    Synonyms: geistig träge, (pejorative) denkfaul
  2. (medicine) insensible to pain
    Synonyms: schmerzunempfindlich, schmerzlos
  3. (medicine) painless
    Synonyms: schmerzfrei, schmerzlos

Declension

Further reading

  • indolent” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • indolent” in Duden online

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French indolent, from Latin indolens.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /in.doˈlent/

Adjective

indolent m or n (feminine singular indolentă, masculine plural indolenți, feminine/neuter plural indolente)

  1. indolent

Declension

Declension of indolent
singular plural
masculine neuter feminine masculine neuter feminine
nominative-
accusative
indefinite indolent indolentă indolenți indolente
definite indolentul indolenta indolenții indolentele
genitive-
dative
indefinite indolent indolente indolenți indolente
definite indolentului indolentei indolenților indolentelor