Word of the Day - 11/18/25
indolence
/'ɪndələns/(n.): inactivity resulting from a dislike of work
His indolence prevented him from ever finishing the project on time.
Word Origin
The word 'indolence' originates from Late Latin 'indolentia', which initially meant 'freedom from pain' or 'insensibility'. It is formed from the Latin prefix 'in-' (meaning 'not' or 'without'), combined with the verb 'dolere' (meaning 'to feel pain' or 'to grieve'), and the noun-forming suffix '-ence'. The meaning evolved from 'freedom from pain' to 'freedom from exertion or trouble', eventually leading to its current sense of 'laziness' or 'idleness'.
Words with similar origins include 'doleful', meaning full of grief or sorrow, which directly derives from the Latin 'dolere'. 'Dolorous', meaning feeling or expressing great sorrow, also stems from the Latin root 'dolor' (pain), which is related to 'dolere'. 'Condolence', an expression of sympathy with another's grief, also shares the 'dolere' root, combined with the prefix 'con-' (with).