noun · 5 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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/ˈlɛθ.ə(ɹ).d͡ʒi/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
A state of extreme torpor, sopor or apathy, especially with lack of emotion, energy or enthusiasm; (loosely) sluggishness, laziness.
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
A condition characterized by extreme fatigue or drowsiness, deep unresponsiveness, or prolonged sleep patterns.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: medicine, pathology, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the general appearance of sluggishness alarmed his friends
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: languor, sluggishness, phlegm, flatness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: inactiveness, inactivity, inertia
4
noun
Meaning 4
weakness characterized by a lack of vitality or energy
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: inanition, lassitude, slackness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: weakness
5
noun
Meaning 5
a state of comatose torpor (as found in sleeping sickness)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: lassitude, sluggishness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: torpor, torpidity
Narrower terms: hebetude
History
Etymology
From Middle English litargie, from Medieval Latin litargia, from Late Latin lēthārgia, borrowed from Ancient Greek ληθᾱργῐ́ᾱ (lēthārgĭ́ā, “drowsiness”), from λήθᾱργος (lḗthārgos, “forgetful, lethargic”) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā, adjectival suffix).
Across languages
Translations
88 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
amti
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Armenian:
թմրածություն
(tʻmracutʻyun)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Armenian:
անտարբերություն
(antarberutʻyun)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Armenian:
լեթարգիա
(letʻargia)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Bulgarian:
летаргия
(letargija)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Catalan:
letargia
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Chinese Mandarin:
暮氣 /暮气
(mùqì)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Czech:
letargie
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Dutch:
onverschilligheid
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Dutch:
lethargie
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Esperanto:
letargio
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Finnish:
letargia
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Finnish:
uupumus
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Finnish:
saamattomuus
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
French:
léthargie
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
French:
nonchalance
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
French:
langueur
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
German:
Trägheit
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
German:
Lethargie
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
German:
Teilnahmslosigkeit
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
German:
Interesselosigkeit
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
German:
Nonchalance
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Greek:
λήθαργος
(líthargos)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Japanese:
無関心
(mukanshin)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Japanese:
昏睡
(konsui)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Latin:
torpedo
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Macedonian:
мр́твило
(mŕtvilo)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Macedonian:
апа́тичност
(apátičnost)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Macedonian:
лета́ргија
(letárgija)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Māori:
tīrohea
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Māori:
tūpakutanga
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Portuguese:
letargia
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Romanian:
letargie
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Russian:
апати́чность
(apatíčnostʹ)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Russian:
летарги́я
(letargíja)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Spanish:
atonía
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Spanish:
letargo
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Spanish:
aletargamiento
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Spanish:
sopor
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Tocharian B:
ālasäññe
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Turkish:
letarji
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Turkish:
uyuşukluk
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Turkish:
uyuşuntu
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Turkish:
uykuntu
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Ottoman Turkish:
طالغینلق
(dalgınlık)
— state of extreme torpor or apathy
Arabic:
خُمُول
(ḵumūl)
— pathological state of fatigue
Armenian:
կեղծամահ
(keġcamah)
— pathological state of fatigue
Armenian:
լեթարգիա
(letʻargia)
— pathological state of fatigue
Armenian:
մահաքուն
(mahakʻun)
— pathological state of fatigue
Bulgarian:
вялост
(vjalost)
— pathological state of fatigue
Bulgarian:
отпуснатост
(otpusnatost)
— pathological state of fatigue
Catalan:
letargia
— pathological state of fatigue
Chinese Mandarin:
疲勞 /疲劳
(píláo)
— pathological state of fatigue
Czech:
letargie
— pathological state of fatigue
Danish:
letargi
— pathological state of fatigue
Dutch:
lusteloosheid
— pathological state of fatigue
Dutch:
futloosheid
— pathological state of fatigue
Dutch:
slaapzucht
— pathological state of fatigue
Dutch:
lethargie
— pathological state of fatigue
Esperanto:
letargio
— pathological state of fatigue
Finnish:
letargia
— pathological state of fatigue
French:
léthargie
— pathological state of fatigue
German:
Lethargie
— pathological state of fatigue
German:
Trägheit
— pathological state of fatigue
German:
Schlafsucht
— pathological state of fatigue
Greek:
λήθαργος
(líthargos)
— pathological state of fatigue
Ancient Greek:
λήθαργος
(lḗthargos)
— pathological state of fatigue
Indonesian:
letargi
— pathological state of fatigue
Japanese:
疲労
(hirō)
— pathological state of fatigue
Latin:
torpedo
— pathological state of fatigue
Latin:
veternus
— pathological state of fatigue
Macedonian:
исцр́пеност
(iscŕpenost)
— pathological state of fatigue
Malay:
kelesuan
— pathological state of fatigue
Malay:
letargi
— pathological state of fatigue
Māori:
tīrohea
— pathological state of fatigue
Norwegian:
letargi
— pathological state of fatigue
Persian:
لتارژی
(letārži)
— pathological state of fatigue
Portuguese:
letargia
— pathological state of fatigue
Romanian:
letargie
— pathological state of fatigue
Russian:
вя́лость
(vjálostʹ)
— pathological state of fatigue
Russian:
уста́лость
(ustálostʹ)
— pathological state of fatigue
Russian:
утомле́ние
(utomlénije)
— pathological state of fatigue
Spanish:
letargo
— pathological state of fatigue
Spanish:
aletargamiento
— pathological state of fatigue
Swedish:
letargi
— pathological state of fatigue
Turkish:
letarji
— pathological state of fatigue
Turkish:
yorgunluk
— pathological state of fatigue