We take a look at the etymology behind the word ‘sedentary’

Sedentary

Scientists have recently warned that a sedentary lifestyle may be as dangerous to our health as smoking. As Collins Cobuild Dictionary explains, someone who has a sedentary lifestyle or job sits down a lot of the time and does not take much exercise. The origin of the word lies in the Latin verb sedere, which means ‘to sit’. This root word produced two Latin adjectives: sedens, which is quite common in Latin and just means ‘sitting’, and sedentarius, which is rarer and has the more specific meaning of ‘tending to sit around a lot’. These words found their way into English as ‘sedent’ and ‘sedentary’ respectively. However, in English it is ‘sedent’ that is the rare word. (After all, why use ‘sedent’ when you can say ‘sitting’?) On the other hand, the more specific word ‘sedentary’ has come into its own as we find ourselves increasingly in need of a word that describes our tendency to sit down and stare at a screen all day.

Other Articles

15 words & phrases to get the Eurovision party started

Are you ready for Eurovision? An annual celebration of music, culture and questionable fashion choices, the Eurovision Song Contest is a live broadcast international song competition in which members of the European Broadcasting Union – plus Australia! –  compete each year. Since its establishment in 1956,… Read More

The Coronation: God Save King Charles!

As mentioned in my coronation post earlier this week, the coronation ceremony is hallowed by time. Edgar was the earliest English king to be crowned, at Bath Abbey in 973; Robert the Bruce was hastily crowned King of Scots at Scone (rhymes with ‘spoon’) in 1306… Read More

The Coronation: God Save the King!

On 6 May 2023 Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor will be crowned King Charles III in a coronation ceremony dating back, if not to time immemorial, at least ten centuries. Just to be absolutely clear, Charles is of course already King, for the Crown knows no… Read More