October 09, 2005 | Category:

Meaning, Part 1: Ennui

Someone, yesterday, asked me what “ennui” means. While it has a dictionary definition (listlessness), it is hard to convey the precise meaning of the word, for me.

  • Lethargic dissatisfaction,
  • Life dragging pointlessly into a grey stupor,
  • A melancholy drudge of indefinite length,
  • Apathy in the extreme.

Not that I’m currently feeling any of the above, but I think we’ve all experienced that level of nothingness before. In fact, it’s a good way to be to truly appreciate the better parts of life.