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idiom
Italian

il dolce far niente

il DOL-chay far nee-EN-tay

ɪl ˈdoltʃe fɑːr niˈɛnteɪ

Listen

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Syllable breakdown

ildolcefarniente

Dictionary meaning

The sweetness of doing nothing — the pleasurable idleness of rest.

History and origin

Italian — 'the sweet doing of nothing'.

Examples

  • After months of relentless work, he embraced il dolce far niente on his Sicilian holiday.

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