doldrums

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈdɒldɹəmz/ (UK); /ˈdɑldɹəmz/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is probably from obsolete dold “dull, stupid”,^[2][3] a form of dulled, the past participle of dull,^[4][2][5] with an ending perhaps modelled on tantrum.^[4][2][5][3] Merriam-Webster relates it to Old English dol “foolish”.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Low spirits, the dumps (by 1803).^[5]

Semantic evolution

From a dull, listless mood, the word passed by 1824 to sailing ships that were becalmed and unable to make headway.^[5] In nautical use it was then extended to the belt of ocean near the equator where calms, squalls and light, shifting winds are common (1848).^[5][6][3] From these senses came the general meaning “a period of stagnation or slump”.^[4][6][3]

Timeline

• by 1803 – low spirits.^[5]
• 1811 – first date given by Merriam-Webster and Barnhart.^[6][2]
• by 1824 – the becalmed state of a sailing ship.^[5]
• 1848 – the region of calms near the equator.^[5]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A period of stagnation, inactivity or slump.
2. A period of depression or listlessness.
3. (often capitalized) A region of the ocean near the equator with calms and light, shifting winds; also the weather typical of it.

Related words

• dull
• dolt
• tantrum

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
3. ^ a b c d Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
4. ^ a b c The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster