müßig

German

Alternative forms

  • müssig

Etymology

From Middle High German müezic, müezec, from Old High German muozīg, from Proto-West Germanic *mōtīg (opportune), from *mōtijan (to have opportunity), from Proto-West Germanic *mōtā (opportunity). By surface analysis, Muße +‎ -ig.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈmyːsɪç/ (standard)
  • IPA(key): /ˈmyːsɪk/ (common form in southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland)
  • Audio (Germany (Berlin)):(file)
  • Audio (Germany (Berlin)):(file)
  • Hyphenation: mü‧ßig

Adjective

müßig (strong nominative masculine singular müßiger, comparative müßiger, superlative am müßigsten)

  1. idle, without occupation
    Er führt ein müßiges Leben.He leads an idle life.
  2. pointless, vain, inane
    Es ist müßig, …It would be otiose to …
    eine müßige Fragea pointless question

Declension

Derived terms

Further reading

  • müßig” in Duden online
  • müßig” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • müßig” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon