Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

idleness

/ˈaɪdəlnəs/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.48 in modern English

Syllables
idle-ness
IPA
/ˈaɪdəlnəs/
9
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The state of being idle; inactivity.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The state of being indolent; indolence.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Groundlessness; worthlessness; triviality; vanity; frivolity.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

  • "For either they be puffed vp vvith pride, / Or fraught vvith enuie that their galls do ſvvell, / Or they their dayes to ydleneſſe diuide, / Or drovvnded lie in pleaſures vvaſtefull vvell, / In vvhich like Moldvvarps [i.e., moles] nouſling ſtill they lurke, / Vnmyndfull of chiefe parts of manlineſſe, / And do themſelues for vvant of other vvorke, / Vaine votaries of laeſie loue profeſſe, […]"

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”).

Origin

Word Breakdown

Usage

Inflected Forms

idlenesses (plural)

Phrases

eat the bread of idleness love-in-idleness

Frequently Paired Words

idledom idlehood idleship

Synonyms

idling loafing faineance groundlessness

Questions

How do you pronounce idleness?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈaɪdəlnəs/.
What does idleness mean?
The state of being idle; inactivity.
Where does idleness come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce idleness

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “idleness”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈaɪdəlnəs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “idleness”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “idleness” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.