slāw
The Old English word for lazy is slāw.
While it can be used to mean unwilling to work, it primarily refers to a lack of speed or slow movement rather than the modern English sense of laziness.
Meaning: unwilling to work (adj)
Which one should you use?
In Old English, slāw primarily refers to being slow in terms of speed or movement, which differs from the modern English usage that focuses on being unwilling to work.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, slāw follows standard Old English declension patterns and will change its ending based on the gender, number and case of the noun it modifies.
Did you know?
- In Old English, slāw could be used to describe the current of a river or the growth of a plant.
- While slāw describes speed, Old English speakers used the word īdel to describe someone who was truly lazy or idle in a moral sense.
- The modern English word 'slow' is a direct descendant of the Old English slāw, meaning they share the same linguistic DNA.
Examples in context
- Hē is slāw.He is lazy.
- Ic eom slāw tō weorcanne.I am lazy to work.
Example conversation
Godric and Wulfrun are discussing the farm chores.
- GodricHwȳ art þū swā slāw tōdæg, Wulfrun?Why are you so lazy today, Wulfrun?
- WulfrunIċ eom wērig, Godric.I am tired, Godric.
- GodricÞū eart slāw, and þæt weorc is micel.You are lazy, and the work is great.
- WulfrunIċ wille nu gān.I will go now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lazy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
