dolce far niente
nounUK /ˌdɒltʃeɪ ˌfɑː nɪˈɛnteɪ/ · US /ˌdoʊltʃeɪ ˌfɑɹ niˈɛnteɪ/
Etymology Borrowed from Italian dolce far niente (literally “sweet doing nothing, sweet idleness”).
1
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!
- 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.1890, J.W. Collins, “Society proceedings of the Colorado State Medical Society”, in The Omaha Clinic, volume 3, number 5, retrieved 20 Mar 2021, page 131:
- Related terms
- dolce vita, dulcet, billet-doux