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faineant

 - 2 dictionary results

fai⋅né⋅ant

  [fey-nee-uhnt; Fr. fe-ney-ahn] adjective, noun, plural -ants  [-uhnts; Fr. -ahn] .
Use faineant in a Sentence
–adjective
1. Also, fai⋅ne⋅ant  [fey-nee-uhnt] . idle; indolent.
–noun
2. an idler.
Origin:
1610–20; < F, earlier fait-nient, lit., he does nothing, pseudo-etymological alter. of OF faignant idler, n. use of prp. of se faindre to shirk. See feign, faint

Related forms:
fai⋅ne⋅ance  [fey-nee-uhns] , noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To faineant
fai·né·ant   (fā'nā-äɴ')   
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.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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