en·nui ( n-w  , nw)n. Listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack of interest; boredom: "The servants relieved their ennui with gambling and gossip about their masters" (John Barth). [French, from Old French enui, from ennuyer, to annoy, bore; see annoy.] Word History: Were they alive today, users of Classical Latin might be surprised to find that centuries later a phrase of theirs still survives, although as a single word. The phrase mihi in odi  est (literally translated as "to me in a condition of dislike or hatred is"), meaning "I hate or dislike," gave rise to the Vulgar Latin verb *inodi re, "to make odious," the source of the Old French verb ennuyer or anoier, "to annoy, bore." This was borrowed into English by around 1275 as anoien, our annoy. From the Old French verb a noun meaning "worry, boredom" was derived, which became ennui in modern French. This noun, with the sense "boredom," was borrowed into English in the 18th century, perhaps filling a need in polite, cultivated society. |
ennui [ˈɒnwiː (French) ɑ̃nɥi]
n
a feeling of listlessness and general dissatisfaction resulting from lack of activity or excitement
[from French: apathy, from Old French enui annoyance, vexation; see annoy]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  ennui - the feeling of being bored by something tediousdissatisfaction - the feeling of being displeased and discontent; "he was never slow to express his dissatisfaction with the service he received" blahs - a general feeling of boredom and dissatisfaction fatigue - (always used with a modifier) boredom resulting from overexposure to something; "he was suffering from museum fatigue"; "after watching TV with her husband she had a bad case of football fatigue"; "the American public is experiencing scandal fatigue"; "political fatigue" |
ennui
noun (Literary) boredom, dissatisfaction, tiredness, the doldrums, lethargy, tedium, lassitude, listlessness He suffered from ennui whenever he was alone.
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