languor

Meanings

Noun

• A state of the body or mind caused by exhaustion or disease and characterized by a languid or weary feeling; lassitude; an instance of this.
• Melancholy caused by lovesickness, sadness, etc.; an instance of this.
• Dullness, sluggishness; lack of vigour; stagnation.
• Listless indolence or inactivity, especially if enjoyable or relaxing; dreaminess; an instance of this.
• Heavy humidity and stillness of the air.
• Sorrow; suffering; also, enfeebling disease or illness; an instance of this.

Verb

• To languish.

Origin

• The noun is derived from Middle English langore, langour, from Middle French languer, langueur, langour, and Anglo-Norman langor, langour, langur, Old French langueur, languour (modern French langueur), and from their etymon Latin languor, from languēre, the present active infinitive of langueō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)leg-, *(s)leh₁g-. The English word is cognate with Catalan llangor, Italian languore, langore , Old Occitan langor (modern Occitan langor), Portuguese langor, languor , Spanish langor.
• The verb is derived from Middle English langouren, from Anglo-Norman langurer and Middle French langorer, langorir, langourer, from Old French languerer, from langueur; see further at etymology 1 above. Later uses of the verb have been influenced by the noun.