velléité

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin velleitātem, from velle (“to will”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vɛ.le.i.te/ ~ /ve.le.i.te/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

velléité f (plural velléités)

1. velleity (weak desire to do something)
2. (figurative) hint (weak form of something)

   une velléité de sourire ― a hint of a smile

Derived terms

• velléitaire (“weak-willed”)

Descendants

• → German: Velleität

Further reading

• “velléité”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.