- Today's Word
Lethargic
[luh-THAR-jik]
Definition
- (adjective) A state of sluggishness, extreme tiredness, or lack of energy and enthusiasm. It refers to being mentally and physically slow, drowsy, or lacking the energy to be active or show interest in activities.
Example
After eating the huge Thanksgiving dinner, the entire family became lethargic and dozed off on the couch while watching football.
Fun Fact
The word “lethargic” has a fascinating mythological origin, deriving from “Lethe,” one of the five rivers of the Greek underworld. Lethe was known as the river of forgetfulness and oblivion; souls were required to drink from it before reincarnation to forget their past lives. The Greek word “lethargos” combines “lethe” (forgetfulness) with “argos” (inactive). In medieval medicine, “lethargy” was considered one of the four primary sleeping disorders, alongside coma, stupor, and carus. Medieval physicians believed lethargy was caused by an excess of phlegm in the brain, treating it with strong-smelling substances like vinegar and garlic to “wake up” the patient. The condition was so well-known that many medieval manuscripts depicted personified versions of Lethargy as a drowsy figure often shown yawning or sleeping. Today, while we understand the various medical and psychological causes of lethargy better, the word retains its connection to both sleepiness and forgetfulness.