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  1. Dictionary
    velleity
    /vɛˈliːɪti/

    noun

    • 1. a wish or inclination not strong enough to lead to action: formal "the notion intrigued me, but remained a velleity"

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    More definitions, origin and scrabble points

  2. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › velleityVelleity Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

    velleity. noun. vel· le· i· ty ve-ˈlē-ə-tē. və- plural velleities. 1. : the lowest degree of volition. 2. : a slight wish or tendency : inclination. Did you know? Allow us, if you will, to volunteer our knowledge about "velleity." It is a derivative of the New Latin noun velleitas, from the Latin verb velle, meaning "to wish or will."

  3. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › velleityVelleity - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

    A velleity is a wish you have — a wish that you aren't working to make come true. If you have a velleity to run a marathon, the marathon sounds like a good idea — but you probably aren't going to start training.

  4. www.dictionary.com › browse › velleityVELLEITY Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

    noun. , plural vel·le·i·ties. volition in its weakest form. a mere wish, unaccompanied by an effort to obtain it. velleity. / vɛˈliːɪtɪ / noun. the weakest level of desire or volition. a mere wish. Discover More. Word History and Origins. Origin of velleity 1.

  5. www.thefreedictionary.com › velleityVelleity - definition of velleity by The Free Dictionary

    Define velleity. velleity synonyms, velleity pronunciation, velleity translation, English dictionary definition of velleity. n. pl. vel·le·i·ties 1. Weak desire or volition. 2. A slight or weak wish or inclination: "He felt cast out ... divorced from the caprices and the...

  6. en.wikipedia.org › wiki › VelleityVelleity - Wikipedia

    Velleity is the lowest degree of volition, a slight wish or tendency. [1] Examples of usage. In philosophy. The 16th-century French philosopher Montaigne, in his essay On the Force of Imagination begins with the epigraph he cites from a schoolboy textbook, Fortis imaginatio generat casum, or "A strong imagination begets the event itself." [2] .

  7. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishVELLEITY definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

    Definition of 'velleity' Word Frequency. velleity in British English. (vɛˈliːɪtɪ ) noun Word forms: plural -ties rare. 1. the weakest level of desire or volition. 2. a mere wish. Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers. Word origin. C17: from New Latin velleitās, from Latin velle to wish. Word Frequency.

  8. en.wiktionary.org › wiki › velleityvelleity - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

    Jun 2, 2024 · velleity ( countable and uncountable, plural velleities) The lowest degree of desire or volition; a total lack of effort to act. A slight wish not followed by any effort to obtain.

  9. www.yourdictionary.com › velleityVelleity Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary

    Velleity definition: Weak desire or volition.

  10. www.dictionary.com › browse › velleity'sVELLEITY Definition & Usage Examples | Dictionary.com

    Origin of velleity. 1. First recorded in 1630–40; from Medieval Latin velleitās, equivalent to Latin velle “to be willing, want” + -itās -ity. Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024.

  11. www.oed.com › dictionary › velleity_nvelleity, n. meanings, etymology and more - Oxford English...

    There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun velleity. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.