sloth en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /slɒθ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (UK) audio
- /slɒθ/ (New-Zealand)
- /sləʊθ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /slɑθ/ (cot-caught-merger)
- /slɔθ/ (General-American)
- (UK) audio
Etymology
From Middle English slouthe, slewthe (“laziness”), from Old English slǣwþ (“sloth, indolence, laziness, inertness, torpor”), from Proto-West Germanic *slaiwiþu, from Proto-Germanic *slaiwiþō (“slowness, lateness”), equivalent to slow + -th (abstract nominal suffix). Cognate with Scots sleuth (“sloth, slowness”).
Meanings
-
(uncountable) Laziness; slowness of mind; disinclination to action or labour; a feeling combining indifference and lethargy; a dragging idleness.
Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labour wears.
1758, Benjamin Franklin, Preliminary Address to the Pennsylvania Almanac:Mr. Elliot's frank statement that "sloth and untidiness are indefensible" is a sign that the task will be tackled with vigour.
1953 April, “Arrears of Station Maintenance”, in Railway Magazine, page 217:Who having ſpilt much blood, and don much waſte / Subduing Nations, and achievd thereby / Fame in the World, high titles, and rich prey, / Shall change thir courſe to pleaſure, eaſe, and ſloth, / Surfet, and luſt, till wantonneſs and pride / Raiſe out of friendſhip hoſtil deeds in Peace.
1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 787–792:Hot summer days inspire a sense of sloth in me.
- (countable, especially, uncountable) Any animal in the suborder Folivora. ▸ Any member of species of the families Choloepodidae and Bradypodidae of herbivorous, arboreal South American mammals, noted for its slowness and inactivity.
- (countable, uncountable) Any animal in the suborder Folivora. ▸ Any of the extinct group of ground sloths.
-
(collective, countable, rare) A group of bears.
One day there was a sloth of grizzly bears trying to catch salmon fish from the river
2014, Stacey Marinaro, The First Unicorn, Lulu.com, page 12:"Thirteen!" interrupted Gavan in surprise. "Isn't that a large number for a sloth of bears?" "It certainly is," the hunter answered, "six is as many as I ever saw together. Maybe the tracks looked like a lot more. That happens.
1919, Francis Rolt-Wheeler, The Boy with the U.S. Trappers, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Company, page 266:Man (head broken off) on horseback, leading three (technically a sloth) muzzled bears by square-linked chain.
1879, Thomas Tindall Wildridge, The misereres of Beverley minster: a complete series of drawings; with notes on the plates and subject, J Plaxton, page 23:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| sloths | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| sleuth | alternative | lexicographic | |
| sloath | alternative | lexicographic | |
| slowth | alternative | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
slothy · native sloth · sloth bear · sloth animalcule · forsloth · tree sloth · slothlike · slothful · sloth monkey · Microsloth · slothen · ground sloth
Hyponyms
three-toed sloth (animal) · pale-throated sloth (animal) · Australian sloth (animal) · two-toed sloth (animal) · ground sloth (animal)
Relateds
Synonyms
acedia · slothfulness · tardigrade (animal) · sleuth
Translations (233)
kn ಸೋಮಾರಿತನ (laziness) · st botsoa (laziness) · pt aí (mammal) · pl leniwiec (mammal) · ru лень (laziness) · pt preguiça (laziness) · th สโลธ (mammal) · lv slinkums (laziness) · hu lustaság (laziness) · mk мрзеливост (laziness) · sk lenivosť (laziness) · fa تنبلی (laziness) · sh лењивац (mammal) · km កម្ជិល (mammal) · da dovendyr (mammal) · ca accídia (laziness) · bg лени́вец (mammal) · srn lesi (laziness) · tfr wlimno (mammal) · fi laiskuus (laziness) · ota كسل (laziness) · fo letidýr (mammal) · kk жалқауаң (mammal) · ro lene (laziness) · srn loiri (mammal) · ml മടി (laziness) · yo imẹlẹ (laziness) · gl lacazanería (laziness) · da dovenskab (laziness) · sl lenoba (laziness) · tg танбалӣ (laziness) · dsb gnilawa (mammal) · ny ulesi (laziness) · cs lenochod (mammal) · gd a' corra-leisg (laziness) · lt tinginys (mammal) · pl lenistwo (laziness) · hi स्लॉथ (mammal) · sh lenjivac (mammal) · he עצלנות (laziness) · yue 樹懶 /树懒 (mammal) · vo trög (laziness) · ru ле́ность (laziness) · my ဆလောက်ကောင် (mammal) · pt preguiça (mammal) · es pereza (laziness) · jv kesed (laziness) · es cúcula (mammal) · su hoream (laziness) · no dovendyr (mammal) · kk жалқаулық (laziness) · ht parès (laziness) · id kukang (mammal) · fr paresse (laziness) · gd leisge (laziness) · sv sengångare (mammal) · is leti (laziness) · ro leneș (mammal) · he עַצְלָן (mammal) · mg hakamoana (laziness) · cy diogi (laziness) · hu restség (laziness) · ka უქნარობა (laziness) · as এলাহ (laziness) · et laiskus (laziness) · fo leti (laziness) · es caimansote (mammal) · as শ্লথ (mammal) · hy համրուկ (mammal) · chr ᎤᏍᎦᏃᎵ ᏲᎾᎢᏳᏍᏗ (mammal) · ar كَسَل (laziness) · mn залхуурал (laziness) · nn dovendyr (mammal) · el τεμπελιά (laziness) · es calípedes (mammal) · cmn 樹懶 /树懒 (mammal) · he עצלות (laziness) · ig arafo (laziness) · pt unau (mammal) · mt għażż (laziness) · zu ubuvila (laziness) · sh лијеност (laziness) · gl nugalla (laziness) · th สลอธ (mammal) · lo ຄວາມຂີ້ຄ້ານ (laziness) · ga aimhleisce (laziness) · ko 나무늘보 (mammal) · bn স্লথ (mammal) · got 𐌻𐌰𐍄𐌴𐌹 (laziness) · ru лени́вец (mammal) · sq përtesë (laziness) · ca mandra (laziness) · eo bradipo (mammal) · nl luiheid (laziness) · la pigritia (laziness) · ca peresa (laziness) · mi māngeretanga (laziness) · sw mwendapole (mammal) · bg лен (laziness) · az ərincək (mammal) · si කම්මැලිකම නිසා (laziness) · it accidia (laziness) · ga leisce (laziness) · it pigrizia (laziness) · hi आलस्य (laziness) · fr aï (mammal) · no latskap (laziness) · oc peresa (laziness) · gur folivora (mammal) · id kemalasan (laziness) · pt aígue (mammal) · sv lathet (laziness) · cy diogyn (mammal) · no lediggang (laziness) · ln ebela (mammal) · sh лењост (laziness) · ne आलस्य (laziness) · eu nagi (mammal) · fr paresseux (mammal) · af luidier (mammal) · oc pigresa (laziness) · tr tembellik (laziness) · tl katamaran (laziness) · hu tunyaság (laziness) · sw uvivu (laziness) · cmn 懶惰 /懒惰 (laziness) · bn আলস্য (laziness) · et laiskloom (mammal) · pt bicho-preguiça (mammal) · io bradipo (mammal) · es perezoso (mammal) · ur آلسی (laziness) · ga búistíocht (laziness) · ota هایلازلق (laziness) · txb ālasäññe (laziness) · sv lättja (laziness) · sk leňoch (mammal) · ha ragwanci (laziness) · ca peresós (mammal) · sh lijenost (laziness) · cs lenost (laziness) · ka სიზარმაცე (laziness) · ig agara (laziness) · de Müßiggang (laziness) · fa تنبل (mammal) · vi lười (mammal) · de Faultier (mammal) · sw slothi (mammal) · ga spadán (mammal) · af luiaard (mammal) · lv sliņķis (mammal) · uk лі́нощі (laziness) · eu nagitasun (laziness) · nl traagheid (laziness) · uk ліни́вець (mammal) · gur akedia (sin of acedia) (laziness) · ms kemalasan (laziness) · uz lenivets (mammal) · hu henyeség (laziness) · de Trägheit (laziness) · ceb katapol (laziness) · it bradipo (mammal) · hy ծուլություն (laziness) · el νωθρότητα (laziness) · eo pigreco (laziness) · ms sifat malas (laziness) · io ociereso (laziness) · yi פֿוילקײַט (laziness) · bg мъ́рзел (laziness) · ar كَسْلَان (mammal) · hmv kev ua tub nkeeg (laziness) · tr meskenet (laziness) · hy համրագնաց (mammal) · chr ᎤᏂᏍᎦᏃᎵ ᏲᎾᎢᏳᏍᏗ (mammal) · fo dølskni (laziness) · hu lajhár (mammal) · pa ਆਲਸ (laziness) · ha lalaci (laziness) · tr miskinlik (laziness) · sh lenjost (laziness) · uk лінь (laziness) · vo bradip (mammal) · uz dangasalik (laziness) · af luiheid (laziness) · ka ზარმაცა (mammal) · vi lười (laziness) · gd seothaiche (laziness) · uk ле́дарство (laziness) · gu આળસ (laziness) · is dáðleysi (laziness) · my ပျင်းရိခြင်း (laziness) · te సోమరితనం (laziness) · be ляні́вец (mammal) · es pereza (mammal) · de Faulheit (laziness) · sl lenivec (mammal) · el βραδύπους (mammal) · ko 게으름 (laziness) · mr आळस (laziness) · gl galbana (laziness) · id kungkang (mammal) · ja 怠惰 (laziness) · ml സ്ലോത്ത് (mammal) · sh ljenjivac (mammal) · mk мрзливец (mammal) · arw hau (mammal) · sh tipavac (mammal) · es cúcala (mammal) · sh типавац (mammal) · tr uyuşukluk (laziness) · ky ленивец (mammal) · ta சோம்பல் (laziness) · ja 樹懶 (mammal) · tr tembel hayvan (mammal) · bg ле́ност (laziness) · nl luiaard (mammal) · csb zgniłozwiérz (mammal) · gl doca (laziness) · az tənbəllik (laziness) · is letidýr (mammal) · ja ナマケモノ (mammal) · th ความเกียจคร้าน (laziness) · so caajisnimo (laziness) · ota تنبللك (laziness) · sh љењивац (mammal) · lt tinginystė (laziness) · is dugleysi (laziness) · be ляно́та (laziness) · fi laiskiainen (mammal) · gl preguiza (laziness) · is ómennska (laziness) · uz ishyoqmaslik (laziness) · xal удан (laziness)