otiose
adjective
oti·ose ˈō-shē-ˌōs 
ˈō-tē-
1
: producing no useful result : futile
2
: being at leisure : idle
3
: lacking use or effect : functionless
otiosely adverb
otioseness noun
otiosity
ˌō-shē-ˈä-sə-tē
noun ˌō-tē-
Did you know?
Otiose was first used in English in the late-18th century to describe things producing no useful result. By mid-19th century, it was being used in keeping with its Latin source otiosus, meaning "at leisure." There is also the noun form otiosity, which predates otiose by approximately three centuries. That noun is rarely found in writing today, but it makes an appearance on the occasional spelling bee word list.
Synonyms
- abortive
- barren
- bootless
- empty
- fruitless
- futile
- ineffective
- ineffectual
- inefficacious
- profitless
- unavailing
- unproductive
- unprofitable
- unsuccessful
- useless
- vain
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
since you haven't read the book, I suppose that it would be otiose to inquire what you thought of it
Word History
Etymology
Latin otiosus, from otium leisure
First Known Use
1795, in the meaning defined at sense 1
otioseness
noun
as in bootlessness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- bootlessness
- abortiveness
- unprofitableness
- vanity
- unprofitability
- ineffectiveness
- unavailingness
- fruitlessness
- deficiency
- ineffectuality
- inefficaciousness
- ineffectualness
- inefficacy
- barrenness
- inadequacy
- emptiness
- inaneness
- hopelessness
- insufficiency
- inadequateness
- meaninglessness
- futility
- pointlessness
- nonsuccess
- uselessness
- setback
- disappointment
- defeat
- senselessness
- collapse
- letdown
- cropper
- nonachievement
- fizzle
- failure
- crash
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- usefulness
- service
- utility
- use
- benefit
- mileage
- assistance
- advantage
- account
- aid
- serviceability
- success
- victory
- avail
- serviceableness
- gain
- value
- achievement
- relevance
- help
- applicability
- appropriateness
- fitness
- accomplishment
- profit
- win
- worth
- Knight of Columbus
- knight of industry
- Knight of Labor
- Knight of Malta
- knight of pyth
- Knight of Pythias
- Knight of Rhodes
- Knight of St. John of Jerusalem
- knight of the carpet
- knight of the chamber
- Knight of the Golden Circle
- knight of the mac
- Knight of the Maccabees
- knight of the pestle
- knight of the post
- knight of the road
- Knight of the Round Table
- knight of the shire
- Knight of the Sword
- Knight of the Temple
- knight service
- Knight Templar
- knight's fee
- knight's service
- knight's tour