noun · 6 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
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/ˈaɪdəlnəs/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AY1 D AH0 L N AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The state of being idle; inactivity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The state of being indolent; indolence.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
having no employment
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: idling, loafing
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: inactivity
Narrower terms: dolce far niente
5
noun
Meaning 5
the trait of being idle out of a reluctance to work
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: faineance
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: indolence, laziness
6
noun
Meaning 6
the quality of lacking substance or value
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the groundlessness of their report was quickly recognized
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: groundlessness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: worthlessness, ineptitude
History
Etymology
From Middle English ydelnesse, from Old English īdelnes, from Proto-West Germanic *īdlanassī, 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”).
Across languages
Translations
74 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
бездействие
(bezdejstvie)
— state of being idle; inactivity
Catalan:
inactivitat
— state of being idle; inactivity
Czech:
zahálka
— state of being idle; inactivity
Dutch:
ledigheid
— state of being idle; inactivity
Finnish:
joutilaisuus
— state of being idle; inactivity
French:
oisiveté
— state of being idle; inactivity
French:
inactivité
— state of being idle; inactivity
Galician:
inactividade
— state of being idle; inactivity
Georgian:
უსაქმურობა
(usakmuroba)
— state of being idle; inactivity
Georgian:
უქნარობა
(uknaroba)
— state of being idle; inactivity
Georgian:
უმაქნისობა
(umaknisoba)
— state of being idle; inactivity
German:
Untätigkeit
— state of being idle; inactivity
German:
Stillstand
— state of being idle; inactivity
German:
Müßiggang
— state of being idle; inactivity
German:
Untätigkeit
— state of being idle; inactivity
Gothic:
𐌻𐌰𐍄𐌴𐌹
(latei)
— state of being idle; inactivity
Hindi:
निष्क्रियता
(niṣkriytā)
— state of being idle; inactivity
Irish:
díomhaointeas
— state of being idle; inactivity
Italian:
ozio
— state of being idle; inactivity
Korean:
한가
(han'ga)
— state of being idle; inactivity
Latin:
ōtium
— state of being idle; inactivity
Middle English:
ydelschipe
— state of being idle; inactivity
Middle English:
ydelnesse
— state of being idle; inactivity
Polish:
bezczynność
— state of being idle; inactivity
Portuguese:
inatividade
— state of being idle; inactivity
Portuguese:
ócio
— state of being idle; inactivity
Russian:
просто́й
(prostój)
— state of being idle; inactivity
Russian:
безде́лье
(bezdélʹje)
— state of being idle; inactivity
Serbo-Croatian:
dokolica
— state of being idle; inactivity
Spanish:
inactividad
— state of being idle; inactivity
Spanish:
holganza
— state of being idle; inactivity
Swedish:
sysslolöshet
— state of being idle; inactivity
Tocharian B:
ālasäññe
— state of being idle; inactivity
Volapük:
nosdun
— state of being idle; inactivity
Welsh:
segurdod
— state of being idle; inactivity
Azerbaijani:
bekarçılıq
— state of being indolent
Azerbaijani:
avaraçılıq
— state of being indolent
Bulgarian:
безделие
(bezdelie)
— state of being indolent
Catalan:
indolència
— state of being indolent
Finnish:
velttous
— state of being indolent
Finnish:
vetelyys
— state of being indolent
French:
indolence
— state of being indolent
Galician:
indolencia
— state of being indolent
German:
Trägheit
— state of being indolent
German:
Arbeitsunwilligkeit
— state of being indolent
German:
Indolenz
— state of being indolent
German:
Faulheit
— state of being indolent
Gothic:
𐌻𐌰𐍄𐌴𐌹
(latei)
— state of being indolent
Irish:
leisce
— state of being indolent
Italian:
indolenza
— state of being indolent
Italian:
pigrizia
— state of being indolent
Italian:
oziosità
— state of being indolent
Latin:
dēsidia
— state of being indolent
Middle English:
ydelschipe
— state of being indolent
Middle English:
ydelnesse
— state of being indolent
Portuguese:
indolência
— state of being indolent
Russian:
праздность
(prazdnostʹ)
— state of being indolent
Russian:
леность
(lenostʹ)
— state of being indolent
Spanish:
indolencia
— state of being indolent
Ottoman Turkish:
تنبللك
(tembellik)
— state of being indolent
Ottoman Turkish:
هایلازلق
(haylazlık)
— state of being indolent
Ottoman Turkish:
كسل
(kesel)
— state of being indolent
Uyghur:
بىكارچىلىق
(bikarchiliq)
— state of being indolent
