lackadaisical
pronunciation
How to pronounce lackadaisical in British English:
UK [ˌlækəˈdeɪzɪkl]
How to pronounce lackadaisical in American English:
US [ˌlækəˈdezɪkəl]
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- Adjective:
- lacking spirit or liveliness
- idle or indolent especially in a dreamy way
Word Origin
- lackadaisical (adj.)
- 1768 (Sterne), from interjection lackadaisy "alas, alack" (1748), an alteration of lack-a-day (1690s), from alack the day (1590s). Hence, "given to crying 'lack-a-day,' vapidly sentimental." Sense probably altered by influence of lax. Related: Lackadaisically.
Example
- 1. The lackadaisical clerk threw my change on the counter .
- 2. Without enthusiasm life is lackadaisical , life is dull !
- 3. The boss fired zoe for her being lackadaisical .
- 4. Given humankind 's lackadaisical response to climate change , a museum in hamburg is presenting fanciful visions of how humans might adapt to disaster .
- 5. The same lackadaisical but hardly catastrophic pattern continued through 1989 .