acedia

[ uh-see-dee-uh ]

noun

1. sloth ( def 1 ). Compare deadly sins.
2. laziness or indifference in religious matters.

acedia

/ əˈsiːdɪə /

noun

1. another word for accidie

Word History and Origins

Origin of acedia¹

1600–10; < Late Latin acēdia < Greek akḗdeia, equivalent to akēdḗ ( s ) ( a- a- ⁶ + -kēdēs, adj. derivative of kêdos care, anxiety) + -ia -ia

Example Sentences

Perhaps the best term for Fran’s persistent mood is acedia, that feeling of not caring much about anything, especially one’s position in the world.

From New York Times

In the early medieval era, Christian monks were very concerned about acedia.

From Salon

The literal meaning of acedia, derived from Greek, is something like "not caring," which explains why "boring" is subjective.

From Salon

For instance, Aldous Huxley argued that acedia had only intensified with the onset of modern life.

From The Guardian

At the time, he named the sin of sloth “acedia,” meaning “lack of care” in Greek.

From New York Times

Related Words

• inactivity
• inertia
• passivity
• stagnation