otiosity

English

Etymology

From otiose +‎ -ity, from Middle French ociosité, from Latin otiositas, from Latin otiosus + -itas (“-ity”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌəʊ.ʃi(ː)ˈɒs.ə.ti/, /ˌəʊ.ti(ː)ˈɒs.ə.ti/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌoʊ.ʃiˈɑs.ə.ti/, /ˌoʊ.tiˈɑs.ə.ti/

Noun

otiosity (countable and uncountable, plural otiosities)

1. The state or quality of being otiose.
   • 1908, Charles Francis Horne, The Technique of the Novel, page 126:

     There is no doubt that the ordinary reader would enjoy, and he certainly would profit much by, a revival of the classic work—if only he did not fall asleep over its magniloquent but perissological otiosity.

Synonyms

• idleness
• remoteness
• aloofness
• futility