Standard Lemma guide

faineant

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈfeɪniənt/

1

noun

Meaning 1

An irresponsible or lazy person.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bum, couch potato, dawdler, deadbeat, dogfucker, do-naught, do-nothing, dosser, idler, idleton, faineant, flaneur, footler, get-nothing, good-for-nothing, goldbricker, goof-off, lallygag, lollygagger, laggard, layabout, lazy ass, lazybones, lazy louse, lidderon, lie-abed, loafer, loiter-sack, lounge lizard, lounger, morepork, ne'er-do-well, poop, ragabash, shirker, skiver, slacker, slob, slow belly, slug, slugabed, slug-a-bed, slugabug, sluggabed, sluggard, sofa spud, tarrier, truant, wasteman, waster, wastrel

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

disinclined to work or exertion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • faineant kings under whose rule the country languished
  • an indolent hanger-on
  • too lazy to wash the dishes
  • shiftless idle youth
  • slothful employees
  • the unemployed are not necessarily work-shy

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: indolent, lazy, otiose, slothful, work-shy

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Old French fay neant, alteration of feignant (“idler”), present participle of feindre, modelled on fait (“does”) + neant (“nothing”).