Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
since you haven't read the book, I suppose that it would be otiose to inquire what you thought of it
Otiose was first used in English in the late-18th century to describe things producing no useful result. By mid-19th century, it was being used in keeping with its Latin source otiosus, meaning "at leisure." There is also the noun form otiosity, which predates otiose by approximately three centuries. That noun is rarely found in writing today, but it makes an appearance on the occasional spelling bee word list.
First Known Use: 1795
in the meaning defined at sense 1
See Words from the same yearabortive, barren, bootless, empty, fruitless, futile, ineffective, ineffectual, inefficacious, profitless, unavailing, unproductive, unprofitable, unsuccessful, useless, vain;
deadly, effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient, fruitful, potent, productive, profitable, successful, virtuous;
applicable, feasible, functional, practicable, practical, realizable, usable (also useable), workable;
hollow, idle, meaningless, pointless, valueless, worthless;
hopeless, impossible, lost, no-win, unattainable;
in vain, no dice, not worth the candle, of no avail;
See words that rhyme with otiose Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for otiose Britannica English: Translation of otiose for Arabic speakers
What made you want to look up otiose? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Name More Food!
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test your knowledge of food vocabulary!
Take the quiz
Is that your picture under "Largest Vocabulary"?
Take the quiz
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz
SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!
Play the game
