dolce far niente
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian dolce far niente (literally “sweet doing nothing, sweet idleness”).
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˌdɒltʃeɪ ˌfɑː nɪˈɛnteɪ/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˌdoʊltʃeɪ ˌfɑɹ niˈɛnteɪ/, /ˌdoʊltʃi ˌfɑɹ niˈɛnti/
- Rhymes: -ɛnti
- Hyphenation: dol‧ce far nien‧te
Noun
dolce far niente (uncountable)
- Sheer indulgent relaxation and blissful laziness, the enjoyment of idleness.
- 1882, W. S. Gilbert, Iolanthe
- This gentleman is seen, / With a maid of seventeen, / A-taking of his dolce far niente; / And wonders he'd achieve, / For he asks us to believe / She's his mother—and he's nearly five-and-twenty!
- 1890, J.W. Collins, “Society proceedings of the Colorado State Medical Society”, in The Omaha Clinic[1], volume 3, number 5, retrieved 20 March 2021, page 131:
- We should so organize our rank and mobilize our forces that our influence may not be dissipated before the advancing hosts of quackery and ignorance. This we can do effectively if only the wise and successful ones among our leaders can be induced to forgo the dolce far niente of the noontime of their lives.
- 1882, W. S. Gilbert, Iolanthe
Related terms
Translations
enjoyment of idleness
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Indonesian
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from Italian dolce far niente (literally “sweet doing nothing, sweet idleness”).
Adverb
- dolce far niente: sheer indulgent relaxation and blissful laziness, the enjoyment of idleness
Further reading
- “dolce far niente” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.
Italian
Etymology
Literally, “sweet doing nothing, sweet idleness”.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈdol.t͡ʃe ˈfar ˈnjɛn.te/
- Hyphenation: dól‧ce‧fàr‧nièn‧te
Noun
dolce far niente m (uncountable)
- dolce far niente (enjoyment of idleness)
- Synonym: ozio