sloth
UK: sləʊθ | US: sloʊθ
n. 1. A slow-moving, tree-dwelling mammal native to Central and South America.
n. 2. The quality or state of being lazy or inactive; reluctance to work or exert effort.
The word "sloth" originates from Middle English slouthe, derived from Old English slǣwþ (slowness, laziness), which is formed from slǣw (slow) + the noun-forming suffix -þ (modern "-th"). The animal was named in the 17th century due to its perceived laziness and slow movements, reflecting the word's original meaning. The morpheme "slo" preserves the core idea of slowness, while "-th" transforms it into an abstract noun.
The sloth spends most of its life hanging upside down in trees.
His chronic sloth made it difficult for him to meet deadlines.
Sloths move so slowly that algae often grow on their fur.
She criticized the team's sloth in completing the project.
The documentary highlighted the sloth's unique adaptations to its environment.