fainéant
lazybones, idler
noun adjective feh-neh-AHN Rare
Origin: Reanalysis of faignant (present participle of feindre), interpreted as fait-néant 'does nothing'
Also means
lazy
Usage Note
Fainéant can function as both a noun ('a lazy person') and an adjective ('lazy'). The feminine form is fainéante. It carries a mildly pejorative tone — stronger than paresseux in some registers. The related noun fainéantise means idleness or laziness.
Examples
"Ne sois pas si fainéant !"
Natural Translation
Don't be so lazy!

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