Link Centre Dictionary

doldrums

dold·rums

UK/ˈdɒldɹəmz/ US/ˈdɑldɹəmz/ uncommon obsolete

noun

1.

a state of inactivity (in business or art etc)

  • “economic growth of less than 1% per year is considered to be economic stagnation”
Synonyms
2.

a belt of calms and light winds between the northern and southern trade winds of the Atlantic and Pacific

Synonyms

Origin

From obsolete doldrum (“slothful or stupid person”) plus the plural suffix -s. Doldrum is possibly derived from dull or Middle English dold (past participle of dullen, dollen (“to make or become blunt or dull; to make or become dull-witted or stupid; to make or become inactive”), from dul, dol, dolle (“not sharp, blunt, dull; not quick-witted, stupid; lethargic, sluggish”); see further at dull), modelled after tantrum.

Phrases

  • intertropical front

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.