fainéant

adj.
Given to doing nothing; idle. See synonyms at lazy.

n.
An irresponsible idler; a sluggard.

[French, alteration (influenced by fait néant, does nothing) of Old French faignant, idler, from present participle of faindre, feindre, to feign. See feign.]

(FAY-nee-uhnt, French: fay-nay-AHN)

adjective
Idle. noun
A do-nothing; idler. [From French fainéant, alteration of fait-néant (literally, does nothing), by folk etymology from faignant, present participle of faindre (to feign)

So a mistaken assumption about the derivation of the word turned the original French faignant (feigning) into faineant (does nothing), the present form. In French history, many kings have been called les rois fainéants as the real power was in the hands of mayors of the palace.

Usage
"Moved in equal parts by ambition, restlessness, and an impulse to do good, he has filled any and all roles abdicated by the faineant previous rectors." — Jim Mora; Away With All This Bavardage*; Sunday Star-Times (Auckland, New Zealand); Oct 11, 1998. * Bavardage = chatter "There will be a two-year hiatus while Mr O'Reilly does the building work and the notion of what to do while waiting has until recently been downright faineant." — Edward Pearce; Market Garden PS; The Guardian (London, UK); Mar 7, 1995.

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adjective

Resistant to exertion and activity: idle, indolent, lazy, shiftless, slothful, sluggard, sluggish. Informal do-nothing. Idioms: bone lazy. See action/inaction, industrious/lazy.

noun

A self-indulgent person who spends time avoiding work or other useful activity: bum¹, drone¹, good-for-nothing, idler, layabout, loafer, ne'er-do-well, no-good, slugabed, sluggard, wastrel. Informal do-little, do-nothing, lazybones, slug². Slang slouch. See industrious/lazy.

given to do nothing, idle, lazy

IN BRIEF: adj. - Disinclined to work or exertion.

Tutor's tip: This word was used in the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee finals.