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ennui

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The definition of ennui is lack of interest or boredom.

(noun)

An example of ennui is a child sitting in the house saying there is nothing to do.

See ennui in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

weariness and dissatisfaction resulting from inactivity or lack of interest; boredom

Origin: Fr: see annoy

See ennui in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

Listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack of interest; boredom: “The servants relieved their ennui with gambling and gossip about their masters” (John Barth).

Origin:

Origin: French

Origin: , from Old French enui

Origin: , from ennuyer, to annoy, bore; see annoy

Word History: Were they alive today, users of Classical Latin might be surprised to find that centuries later a phrase of theirs still survives, although as a single word. The phrase mihi in odiō est (literally translated as “to me in a condition of dislike or hatred is”), meaning “I hate or dislike,” gave rise to the Vulgar Latin verb *inodiāre, “to make odious,” the source of the Old French verb ennuyer or anoier, “to annoy, bore.” This was borrowed into English by around 1275 as anoien, our annoy. From the Old French verb a noun meaning “worry, boredom” was derived, which became ennui in modern French. This noun, with the sense “boredom,” was borrowed into English in the 18th century, perhaps filling a need in polite, cultivated society.

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