"faineant" meaning in All languages combined

See faineant on Wiktionary

Noun [English]

IPA: /ˈfeɪniənt/ Forms: faineants [plural], fainéant [alternative]
Etymology: From Old French fay neant, alteration of feignant (“idler”), present participle of feindre, modelled on fait (“does”) + neant (“nothing”). Etymology templates: {{uder|en|fro|fay neant}} Old French fay neant Head templates: {{en-noun}} faineant (plural faineants)
  1. An irresponsible or lazy person. Derived forms: faineant deity, faineantism
    Sense id: en-faineant-en-noun-uPgfXcS3 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English undefined derivations, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Personality Synonyms: bum, couch potato, dawdler, deadbeat, dogfucker, do-naught [archaic], do-nothing, dosser [Ireland, UK], idler, idleton [UK, dialectal], faineant, flaneur, footler, get-nothing [obsolete], good-for-nothing, goldbricker, goof-off [US], lallygag, lollygagger, laggard, layabout, lazy ass [slang, vulgar], lazybones [slang], lazy louse [colloquial, slang, uncommon], lidderon [archaic, dialectal, rare], lie-abed, loafer, loiter-sack [obsolete], lounge lizard [slang], lounger, morepork [Australia, New-Zealand], ne'er-do-well, poop, ragabash [obsolete], shirker, skiver, slacker, slob, slow belly, slug, slugabed, slug-a-bed, slugabug, sluggabed, sluggard, sofa spud, tarrier, truant, wasteman, waster, wastrel

Noun [Middle French]

Forms: faineans [plural]
Head templates: {{head|frm|noun|||plural|faineans||{{{pl2}}}||{{{f}}}||{{{f}}}s|f1accel-form=p|g=m|head=|sort=|var=}} faineant m (plural faineans), {{frm-noun|m|faineans}} faineant m (plural faineans)
  1. lazy person; faineant Tags: masculine
    Sense id: en-faineant-frm-noun-H2SKjffi Categories (other): Middle French entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "fay neant",
      "fay neant#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "feignant",
      "feignant#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "feindre",
      "feindre#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "fait",
      "fait#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "neant",
      "neant#Old_French"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "fay neant"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French fay neant",
      "name": "uder"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Old French fay neant, alteration of feignant (“idler”), present participle of feindre, modelled on fait (“does”) + neant (“nothing”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "faineants",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "fainéant",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "faineant (plural faineants)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English undefined derivations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Personality",
          "orig": "en:Personality",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "faineant deity"
        },
        {
          "word": "faineantism"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An irresponsible or lazy person."
      ],
      "id": "en-faineant-en-noun-uPgfXcS3",
      "links": [
        [
          "irresponsible",
          "irresponsible"
        ],
        [
          "lazy",
          "lazy"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "bum"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "couch potato"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "dawdler"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "deadbeat"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "dogfucker"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "archaic"
          ],
          "word": "do-naught"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "do-nothing"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "Ireland",
            "UK"
          ],
          "word": "dosser"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "idler"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "UK",
            "dialectal"
          ],
          "word": "idleton"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "faineant"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "flaneur"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "footler"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "get-nothing"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "good-for-nothing"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "goldbricker"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "US"
          ],
          "word": "goof-off"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "lallygag"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "lollygagger"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "laggard"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "layabout"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "slang",
            "vulgar"
          ],
          "word": "lazy ass"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "lazybones"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "colloquial",
            "slang",
            "uncommon"
          ],
          "word": "lazy louse"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "archaic",
            "dialectal",
            "rare"
          ],
          "word": "lidderon"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "lie-abed"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "loafer"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "loiter-sack"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "lounge lizard"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "lounger"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "Australia",
            "New-Zealand"
          ],
          "word": "morepork"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "ne'er-do-well"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "poop"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "ragabash"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "shirker"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "skiver"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slacker"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slob"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slow belly"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slug"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slugabed"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slug-a-bed"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slugabug"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "sluggabed"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "sluggard"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "sofa spud"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "tarrier"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "truant"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "wasteman"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "waster"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "wastrel"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfeɪniənt/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "faineant"
}

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "faineans",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "frm",
        "10": "{{{f}}}",
        "11": "",
        "12": "{{{f}}}s",
        "2": "noun",
        "3": "",
        "4": "",
        "5": "plural",
        "6": "faineans",
        "7": "",
        "8": "{{{pl2}}}",
        "9": "",
        "f1accel-form": "p",
        "g": "m",
        "head": "",
        "sort": "",
        "var": ""
      },
      "expansion": "faineant m (plural faineans)",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "m",
        "2": "faineans"
      },
      "expansion": "faineant m (plural faineans)",
      "name": "frm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle French",
  "lang_code": "frm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle French entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "lazy person; faineant"
      ],
      "id": "en-faineant-frm-noun-H2SKjffi",
      "links": [
        [
          "lazy",
          "lazy"
        ],
        [
          "faineant",
          "faineant#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "faineant"
}
{
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "faineant deity"
    },
    {
      "word": "faineantism"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_links": [
    [
      "fay neant",
      "fay neant#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "feignant",
      "feignant#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "feindre",
      "feindre#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "fait",
      "fait#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "neant",
      "neant#Old_French"
    ]
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "fay neant"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French fay neant",
      "name": "uder"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Old French fay neant, alteration of feignant (“idler”), present participle of feindre, modelled on fait (“does”) + neant (“nothing”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "faineants",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "fainéant",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "faineant (plural faineants)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English countable nouns",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English lemmas",
        "English nouns",
        "English terms derived from Old French",
        "English undefined derivations",
        "Pages with 2 entries",
        "Pages with entries",
        "en:Personality"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An irresponsible or lazy person."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "irresponsible",
          "irresponsible"
        ],
        [
          "lazy",
          "lazy"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "bum"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "couch potato"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "dawdler"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "deadbeat"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "dogfucker"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "archaic"
          ],
          "word": "do-naught"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "do-nothing"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "Ireland",
            "UK"
          ],
          "word": "dosser"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "idler"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "UK",
            "dialectal"
          ],
          "word": "idleton"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "faineant"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "flaneur"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "footler"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "get-nothing"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "good-for-nothing"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "goldbricker"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "US"
          ],
          "word": "goof-off"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "lallygag"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "lollygagger"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "laggard"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "layabout"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "slang",
            "vulgar"
          ],
          "word": "lazy ass"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "lazybones"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "colloquial",
            "slang",
            "uncommon"
          ],
          "word": "lazy louse"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "archaic",
            "dialectal",
            "rare"
          ],
          "word": "lidderon"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "lie-abed"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "loafer"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "loiter-sack"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "lounge lizard"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "lounger"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "Australia",
            "New-Zealand"
          ],
          "word": "morepork"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "ne'er-do-well"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "poop"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "tags": [
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "ragabash"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "shirker"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "skiver"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slacker"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slob"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slow belly"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slug"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slugabed"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slug-a-bed"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "slugabug"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "sluggabed"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "sluggard"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "sofa spud"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "tarrier"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "truant"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "wasteman"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "waster"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:idler",
          "word": "wastrel"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfeɪniənt/"
    }
  ],
  "word": "faineant"
}

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "faineans",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "frm",
        "10": "{{{f}}}",
        "11": "",
        "12": "{{{f}}}s",
        "2": "noun",
        "3": "",
        "4": "",
        "5": "plural",
        "6": "faineans",
        "7": "",
        "8": "{{{pl2}}}",
        "9": "",
        "f1accel-form": "p",
        "g": "m",
        "head": "",
        "sort": "",
        "var": ""
      },
      "expansion": "faineant m (plural faineans)",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "m",
        "2": "faineans"
      },
      "expansion": "faineant m (plural faineans)",
      "name": "frm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle French",
  "lang_code": "frm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Middle French countable nouns",
        "Middle French entries with incorrect language header",
        "Middle French lemmas",
        "Middle French masculine nouns",
        "Middle French nouns",
        "Pages with 2 entries",
        "Pages with entries"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "lazy person; faineant"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "lazy",
          "lazy"
        ],
        [
          "faineant",
          "faineant#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "faineant"
}

Download raw JSONL data for faineant meaning in All languages combined (5.0kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-09-25 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-09-02 using wiktextract (1a05e46 and e3d6d4e). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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