Velleity

Pronunciation: /vəˈliːəti/

Definitions of velleity

noun a wish or inclination not strong enough to lead to action

Example Sentences

A1 I have a velleity to learn how to cook.

A2 Her velleity to travel the world is strong.

B1 His velleity to start a new business is slowly turning into action.

B2 Despite his velleity to exercise regularly, he often finds excuses not to.

C1 The velleity to improve his skills led him to enroll in advanced courses.

C2 Her velleity for perfectionism sometimes hinders her progress.

Examples of velleity in a Sentence

formal His velleity to learn a new language was evident in his enrollment in a beginner's course.

informal She had a velleity to start jogging but never got around to buying running shoes.

slang I had a velleity to clean my room, but Netflix seemed like a better option.

figurative The velleity of the political candidate to bring about change was met with skepticism by the public.

Grammatical Forms of velleity

• past tense: wished
• plural: velleities
• comparative: more velleitous
• superlative: most velleitous
• present tense: vellies
• future tense: will vellie
• perfect tense: have vellied
• continuous tense: is vellieing
• singular: velleity
• positive degree: velleitous
• infinitive: to vellie
• gerund: velleiting
• participle: velleited

Origin and Evolution of velleity

First Known Use: 1646 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'velleity' originated from Latin, specifically from the word 'velle', meaning 'to wish'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in philosophy to describe a wish or inclination without the motivation or intention to act upon it, 'velleity' has evolved to also describe a weak desire or impulse in modern English.