inertia

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a disposition to remain inactive or inert
  2. noun (physics) the tendency of a body to maintain its state of rest or uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force

Etymology

From Latin inertia (“lack of art or skill, inactivity, indolence”), from iners (“unskilled, inactive”), from in- (“without, not”) + ars (“skill, art”). Something close to the modern physics sense was first used in New Latin by Johannes Kepler.

In classic literature

Synonyms

inactiveness, inactivity

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