Definition of otiose
1 : producing no useful result : futile
2 : being at leisure : idle
3 : lacking use or effect : functionless
otiosely
adverbotioseness
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otiose was our Word of the Day on 05/09/2009. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of otiose in a Sentence
since you haven't read the book, I suppose that it would be otiose to inquire what you thought of it
Did You Know?
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.
Origin and Etymology of otiose
Latin otiosus, from otium leisure
First Known Use: 1795
Synonym Discussion of otiose
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