Home UK English velleity

Meaning of velleity in English:

velleity

nounvelleities

formal

  • A wish or inclination not strong enough to lead to action.

    ‘the notion intrigued me, but remained a velleity’
    tendency, propensity, proclivity, leaning

Origin

Early 17th century from medieval Latin velleitas, from Latin velle ‘to wish’.

Pronunciation

velleity

/vɛˈliːɪti/