Dictionary.com

otiose

[ oh-shee-ohs, oh-tee- ]
/ ˈoʊ ʃiˌoʊs, ˈoʊ ti- /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for: otiose / otioseness / otiosity on Thesaurus.com
adjective
being at leisure; idle; indolent.
ineffective or futile.
superfluous or useless.
QUIZ
WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?
Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!
Question 1 of 7
Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.
who
whom
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of otiose

First recorded in 1785–95; from Latin ōtiōsus “at leisure, inactive, undisturbed,” equivalent to ōti(um) “leisure, spare time” + -ōsus adjective suffix; see -ose1

OTHER WORDS FROM otiose

o·ti·ose·ly, adverbo·ti·os·i·ty [oh-shee-os-i-tee, oh-tee-], /ˌoʊ ʃiˈɒs ɪ ti, ˌoʊ ti-/, o·ti·ose·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to otiose

idle, indolent, listless, slothful, hopeless, ineffective, useless, vain, empty, futile, hollow, inactive, laggard, lazy, sterile, superfluous, surplus

British Dictionary definitions for otiose

otiose
/ (ˈəʊtɪˌəʊs, -ˌəʊz) /
adjective
serving no useful purposeotiose language
rare indolent; lazy

Derived forms of otiose

otiosity (ˌəʊtɪˈɒsɪtɪ) or otioseness, noun

Word Origin for otiose

C18: from Latin ōtiōsus leisured, from ōtium leisure
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
FEEDBACK