paresse

laziness

noun pah-RES Rare

Origin: Latin pigritia (slowness, sloth)

Also means

idleness

Usage Note

Paresse is the noun; the adjective is paresseux / paresseuse, which is also the word for 'sloth' (the animal). The phrase la paresse du dimanche matin captures the pleasant, guilt-free version. Flemme is a more colloquial synonym heard frequently in everyday speech.

Examples

"La paresse l'a empêché de finir son travail."

Natural Translation

Laziness prevented him from finishing his work.

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