Meanings
plural otiosities
- countableuncountableThe state or quality of being otiose.
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.
1908, Charles Francis Horne, The Technique of the Novel, page 126Synonyms: idleness, remoteness, aloofness, futility
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe state or quality of being otiose.
Origin
- Latinotiosus
- Latinotiositas
- Middle Frenchociosité
- Englishotiosity
From otiose + -ity, from Middle French ociosité, from Latin otiositas, from Latin otiosus + -itas (“-ity”).
More words from Middle French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
otiosity. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/otiosity
“otiosity.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/otiosity. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “otiosity,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/otiosity.
Source: otiosity on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.