Lethargy
/ˈlɛθ.ər.dʒi/noun
A state of sluggishness, drowsiness, or lack of energy.
Did you know?Lethargy ultimately comes from Greek lēthargia, built from lēthē (“forgetfulness”) and argos (“idle”), so its oldest sense is literally a kind of “forgetful idleness.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
lēthargía
“forgetfulness, drowsiness, sluggishness”
Late Latin
Latin
lethargia
“drowsiness, torpor”
Old French
Old French
letargie
“lethargy, torpor”
14th Century
English
lethargie
“morbid drowsiness or torpor”
Modern English
English
lethargy
“a state of sluggishness or lack of energy”