idlers
|i-dlers|
🇺🇸
/ˈaɪdlər/
🇬🇧
/ˈaɪdlə/
(idler)
not working; doing nothing
Etymology
'idler' originates from English, specifically formed from the adjective 'idle' plus the agent suffix '-er', where 'idle' meant 'not working; vacant'.
'idle' comes from Old English 'īdel' (also spelled 'idel') meaning 'empty, useless, lazy'; Middle English kept the form 'idle', and adding '-er' produced 'idler' to denote 'one who idles'.
Initially it meant 'empty' or 'vain' (for 'idle'); over time the sense shifted to 'not working' or 'lazy', and 'idler' came to mean 'a person who avoids work' (and by extension a non-driven wheel/gear in machinery).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'idler': people who avoid work or effort; lazy people.
The idlers in the courtyard spent the afternoon talking instead of working.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2026/01/02 02:44