fainéant
Also found in: Thesaurus.
fai·né·ant
(fā′nā-äN′)adj.
Given to doing nothing; lazy.
n.
One who is lazy or idle.
[French, alteration (influenced by fait néant, does nothing) of Old French faignant, idler, from present participle of faindre, feindre, to feign; see feign.]
fainéant
(ˈfeɪnɪənt; French fɛneɑ̃)n
a lazy person; idler
adj
indolent
[C17: from French, modification of earlier fait-nient (he) does nothing, by folk etymology from Old French faignant shirker, from faindre to be lazy]
ˈfaineance, ˈfaineancy n
fai•né•ant
(ˌfeɪ neɪˈɑ̃)adj., n., pl. -ants (-ˈɑ̃z) adj.
1. Also, fai•ne•ant (ˈfeɪ ni ənt) idle; indolent.
n. 2. an idler.
[1610–20; < French, earlier fait-nient, literally, he does nothing]
fai′ne•ance, n.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Adj. | 1. | faineant - disinclined to work or exertion; "faineant kings under whose rule the country languished"; "an indolent hanger-on"; "too lazy to wash the dishes"; "shiftless idle youth"; "slothful employees"; "the unemployed are not necessarily work-shy" idle - not in action or at work; "an idle laborer"; "idle drifters"; "the idle rich"; "an idle mind" |
fainéant
adjectivenoun