English Meaning & Definitions
Pleasant relaxation in carefree idleness; the enjoyment of doing nothing.
- “She spent the entire Sunday afternoon in a state of dolce far niente, lounging on the veranda with a book she never actually opened.”
- “Vacations are the ideal time to embrace dolce far niente and forget about work deadlines and schedules.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “dolce far niente”.
Borrowed directly from Italian, meaning literally 'sweet doing nothing'. The phrase combines 'dolce' (sweet, from Latin 'dulcis'), 'far' (to do, from Latin 'facere'), and 'niente' (nothing, from Late Latin 'negentem'). While Italian in origin, it has been widely adopted in English and other languages to describe the pleasurable art of idleness.
Think of a 'dolce' (sweet) dessert like cannoli while you do 'niente' (nothing) on a beach.
Frequently Asked Questions About “dolce far niente”
1. What is the meaning of “dolce far niente” in English?
In English, dolce far niente (noun) is defined as: “Pleasant relaxation in carefree idleness; the enjoyment of doing nothing.”.
2. How do you use “dolce far niente” in a sentence?
“She spent the entire Sunday afternoon in a state of dolce far niente, lounging on the veranda with a book she never actually opened.”
3. What are English synonyms of “dolce far niente”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “dolce far niente”?
Borrowed directly from Italian, meaning literally 'sweet doing nothing'. The phrase combines 'dolce' (sweet, from Latin 'dulcis'), 'far' (to do, from Latin 'facere'), and 'niente' (nothing, from Late Latin 'negentem'). While Italian in origin, it has been widely adopted in English and other languages to describe the pleasurable art of idleness.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.