lackadaisical

English

WOTD – 24 January 2008

Alternative forms

• lack-a-daisical

Etymology

From the archaic expression lackadaisy +‎ -ic +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌlækəˈdeɪzɪkəl/; IPA^(key): /læksə-/ (non-standard)

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (General Australian):

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Adjective

lackadaisical (comparative more lackadaisical, superlative most lackadaisical)

1. Showing no interest, vigor, determination, or enthusiasm.

   Synonyms: languid, listless, unenthusiastic, uninterested, lethargic

   the lackadaisical look on his face

   • 1822, William Hazlitt, “On the Disadvantages of Intellectual Superiority”, in Table-Talk, volume II:

     I, at one time, used to go and take a hand at cribbage with a friend, and afterwards discuss a cold sirloin of beef, and throw out a few lackadaisical remarks, in a way to please myself, but it would not do long.

   • 1864, Anthony Trollope, chapter 58, in The Small House at Allington:

     "Then let those who do know it learn that you are able to bear such wounds without outward complaint. I tell you fairly that I cannot sympathize with a lackadaisical lover."

   • 2010, Clare Vanderpool, Moon Over Manifest:

     I could hear the sound of the janitor's lackadaisical scrubbing against the wooden floor.

2. Lazy; slothful; indolent.

Derived terms

• lackadaisically
• lackadaisicalness

Related terms

• lackaday
• lax

Translations

showing no interest or enthusiasm

• Bulgarian: отпуснат (bg) (otpusnat), апатичен (bg) (apatičen)
• Catalan: lànguid (ca), indiferent (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 漠不关心的 (mò bù guān xīng de), 不热心的 (bù rè xīng de)

• Dutch: ongeïnteresseerd (nl), lusteloos (nl), laks (nl)
• Esperanto: malvigla
• Finnish: välinpitämätön (fi), raukea (fi), tylsämielinen (fi), innoton (fi), ponneton (fi)
• French: languide (fr)
• German: gleichgültig (de), lustlos (de), lasch (de)
• Greek: βαρυεστημένος (varyestiménos)

  Ancient: ἀσπούδαστος (aspoúdastos)

• Hungarian: egykedvű (hu), unott (hu), közönyös (hu), közömbös (hu), érdektelen (hu), nemtörődöm (hu)
• Italian: languido (it), apatico (it), stufato (it)
• Ladino: jilveli
• Macedonian: бе́зволен (bézvolen)
• Maori: waimeha, momoe
• Portuguese: desmotivado (pt), apático (pt) m, lânguido (pt)
• Russian: равноду́шный (ru) (ravnodúšnyj), апати́чный (ru) (apatíčnyj)
• Serbo-Croatian: bezvoljan (sh) m
• Spanish: lánguido (es)
• Swedish: ointresserad (sv), oengagerad, likgiltig (sv)

Lazy; slothful; indolent

• Bulgarian: ленив (bg) (leniv)
• Catalan: peresós (ca), mandrós (ca)
• Hungarian: lusta (hu), tunya (hu)
• Portuguese: preguiçoso (pt), indolente (pt)
• Russian: ленивый (ru) (lenivyj)
• Serbo-Croatian: mlitav (sh) m, šonjav (sh) m
• Spanish: perezoso (es)

Further reading

• “lackadaisical”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.