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lassitude
noun
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Sick and Tired: The Literal and Figurative Meanings of Lassitude
Lassitude and weariness make an interesting pair. As with many nearly synonymous pairs of words in English, one is derived from Latin and the other from Old English. Even though they both mean “the condition of being tired,” they are used in different ways. Following a common pattern, the Latinate word tends to be used in technical, medical, and formal writing, and the Old English-derived word is used when referring to physical, emotional, and spiritual qualities.
Lassitude comes from the Latin word lassus, meaning “weary.” Our English spelling comes from the French word that developed directly from Latin, borrowed in the 15th century. In French, the word las (masculine) or lasse (feminine) means “weary” or “tired,” and the idiom être las de means “to be sick and tired of.” This led to another English word with the same root: alas, a word that expresses sadness or disappointment, but conveys some measure of fatigue and resignation as well.
Though it sometimes is just a fancy word for fatigue in medical contexts, lassitude is also used in ways that are metaphorical and closer in meaning to “negligence”:
Congress was being choked by pettiness and lassitude.
The case was delayed because of sheer lassitude.
The failure was the result of moral lassitude.
Synonyms
lethargy, languor, lassitude, stupor, torpor mean physical or mental inertness.
lethargy implies such drowsiness or aversion to activity as is induced by disease, injury, or drugs.
languor suggests inertia induced by an enervating climate or illness or love.
lassitude stresses listlessness or indifference resulting from fatigue or poor health.
stupor implies a deadening of the mind and senses by shock, narcotics, or intoxicants.
torpor implies a state of suspended animation as of hibernating animals but may suggest merely extreme sluggishness.
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Cite this Entry
“Lassitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lassitude. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
lassitude
nounMedical Definition
lassitude
nounMore from Merriam-Webster on lassitude
Nglish: Translation of lassitude for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of lassitude for Arabic Speakers
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