sluggard

UK: ˈslʌɡəd | US: ˈslʌɡərd

Definition

  1. n. a habitually lazy or idle person

Structure
slug <slow, lazy>ard <noun suffix, often pejorative>
Etymology

The word sluggard emerged in Middle English, combining slug (a term for laziness) with the pejorative suffix -ard. The suffix often conveyed negative traits, turning "slug" into a label for a chronically lazy individual. The imagery of a slow-moving slug likely influenced the word’s enduring association with idleness.

Examples

  1. The king scolded the sluggard for sleeping through the harvest.

  2. Don’t be such a sluggard—help with the chores!

  3. In the fable, the ant worked hard while the sluggard cricket sang all summer.

  4. His reputation as a sluggard made employers reluctant to hire him.

  5. She dismissed his excuses, calling him a hopeless sluggard.