velleity

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /vəˈliɪti/ UK /vəˈliːɪti/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a wish or inclination too slight to lead to action

His resolve was mere velleity, evaporating at the first hint of effort.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a wish or inclination too... inclination wish whim desire

Opposites

resolve determination volition

Word family

Related forms volition voluntary

Etymology

From Medieval Latin 'velleitas', from Latin 'velle' ('to wish, to will'). Denotes the lowest degree of volition, a wish unaccompanied by effort.

velleitas Latin velle Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# velleity

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /vəˈliɪti/
**IPA (UK):** /vəˈliːɪti/

## Meanings
1. a wish or inclination too slight to lead to action

## Examples
- His resolve was mere velleity, evaporating at the first hint of effort.

## Synonyms
- inclination
- wish
- whim
- desire

## Antonyms
- resolve
- determination
- volition

## Related Forms
- volition
- voluntary

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: velleitas
- Root: velle

## Etymology
From Medieval Latin 'velleitas', from Latin 'velle' ('to wish, to will'). Denotes the lowest degree of volition, a wish unaccompanied by effort.

## AI Etymology
Velleity comes from Medieval Latin 'velleitas', from Latin 'velle' ('to wish, to will'). Denotes the lowest degree of volition, a wish unaccompanied by effort. In current use it is a noun meaning "a wish or inclination too slight to lead to action". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The history is mainly one of transmission into English, with the older form and sense carried through borrowing or adaptation. The historical chain includes Latin velleitas and Latin velle. Related English forms include volition and voluntary. For dictionary purposes, the important point is the continuity between the older form, the route into English, and the present lexical sense.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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