leisure

American  

[lee-zher, lezh-er] / ˈli ʒər, ˈlɛʒ ər /

noun

• leisures
  plural

1. 

   freedom from the demands of work or duty.

   She looked forward to retirement and a life of leisure.

2. time free from the demands of work or duty, when one can rest, enjoy hobbies or sports, etc..

   Most evenings he had the leisure in which to follow his interests.

3. unhurried ease.

   a work written with leisure and grace.

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adjective

1. free or unoccupied.

   leisure hours.

2. having leisure.

   the leisure class.

3. (of clothing) suitable to or adapted for wear during leisure; casual.

   a leisure jacket.

4. designed or intended for recreational use.

   leisure products like bowling balls and video games.

idioms

1. at one's leisure, when one has free time; at one's convenience.

   Take this book and read it at your leisure.

2. at leisure,

   1. with free or unrestricted time.

   2. without haste; slowly.

   3. out of work; unemployed.

      Because of the failure of the magazine, many experienced editors are now at leisure.

leisure British  

/ ˈliːʒər, ˈlɛʒə /

noun

1. 1. time or opportunity for ease, relaxation, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      leisure activities

2. ease or leisureliness

3. 1. having free time for ease, relaxation, etc

   2. not occupied or engaged

   3. without hurrying

4. when one has free time

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leisure More Idioms  

1. see at leisure; at one's leisure.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• leisurable
  adjective
• leisureless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• leisures
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of leisure

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English leisir, from Old French, noun use of infinitive, ultimately from Latin licēre “to be allowed”

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Explanation

Leisure is time off, spare time, sweet sweet freedom from the demands of work. It's like playtime for grown-ups. Leisure is time away from commitments like work or school. Leisure activities might include windsailing, golfing, crocheting a portrait of Betsy Ross, staring at one's navel, whatever. It's the freedom to do what the heck you want. It's not time for punching the clock or writing a paper on the role of matchsticks in the Industrial Revolution; it's kick-your-shoes-off time. If you read a book at your leisure, there's no rush. Leisure is more rare for some than others. "The billionaire was a woman of leisure," but leisure time is a luxury for most.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

leisure leisures

Comparing high-school seniors from the classes of 1976, 1991 and 2006, researchers found that later cohorts valued leisure more.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Agree with your wife on a “fun-money” budget — a pot of money you can dip tino for leisure activities without regret, rumination or recrimination.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

At the time, he wrote in the station’s community newsletter that he was looking forward to a “new life of leisure and with family and friends.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

Previous research has shown that spending leisure time together can benefit couples.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

But scientific experimentation is manual labor, from which the slaveholders are preferentially distanced; while it is only the slaveholders—politely called “gentle-men” in some societies—who have the leisure to do science.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

“In those days, there weren’t video games or these other leisures kids have nowadays,” Gerard said.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 1, 2016

To meet the change, Davis sold 100 theaters, wisely followed his customers into new leisures.

From Time Magazine Archive

The long leisures, the introspective habits, the vita contemplativa so conspicuous in the old Catholic discipline, grow very rare.

From The Map of Life Conduct and Character by William Edward Hartpole Lecky

There lie the tears and the sighs of lovers, the hours lost in pastimes, the leisures of the dull, and the intentions of the lazy.

From Stories from the Italian Poets: with Lives of the Writers, Volume 2 by Torquato Tasso

Among the many that mine eyes have seen,   Not one whose flame my heart so much as warmed,   Or my affection put to th' smallest teen,   Or any of my leisures ever charmed.

From A Lover's Complaint by William Shakespeare

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Related Words

• convenience
• recreation
• relaxation

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