lackadaisical

/ˌlækəˈdeɪzɪkəl/

//ˌlækəˈdeɪzɪkəl// adj

"lackadaisical" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lackadaisical” is uncommon English (frequency #73,363 among 2,297 “L” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#73,363
frequency rank, English
2,297
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Showing no interest, vigor, determination, or enthusiasm.

Corpus desk

Index EN-lackadaisical · lackadaisical · English

lackadaisical · rank #73,363 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #73,363
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,297
  • PHOTO-FINISH kuku

Nearest frequency peer: kuku (-2 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “lackadaisical”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “lackadaisical” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for lackadaisical
PropertyValue
Headwordlackadaisical
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌlækəˈdeɪzɪkəl/
Letters13
Frequency rank#73,363
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “lackadaisical” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).lackadaisicalfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “kuku” (#73,361), “lambie” (#73,365), “Kuk” (#73,360). Among 2,297 “L” headwords, “lackadaisical” is #73,363. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

lackadaisical is uncommon English at frequency #73,363 among 2,297 “L” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌlækəˈdeɪzɪkəl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

lackadaisical has no tracked misspelling variants, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From the archaic expression lackadaisy + -ic + -al. The correct English form is lackadaisical, spelled L-A-C-K-A-D-A-I-S-I-C-A-L.

Definition

  1. 1
    Showing no interest, vigor, determination, or enthusiasm.
  2. 2
    Lazy; slothful; indolent.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how lackadaisical appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. the lackadaisical look on his face
  2. I, at one time, used to go and take a hand at cribbage with a friend, and afterwards discuss a cold sirloin of beef, and throw out a few lackadaisical remarks, in a way to please myself, but it would not do long.

Etymology

From the archaic expression lackadaisy + -ic + -al.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "lackadaisical"?
"lackadaisical" is spelled L-A-C-K-A-D-A-I-S-I-C-A-L. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌlækəˈdeɪzɪkəl/.
What does "lackadaisical" mean?
As an adjective, "lackadaisical" means: Showing no interest, vigor, determination, or enthusiasm.
How do you pronounce "lackadaisical"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lackadaisical" is /ˌlækəˈdeɪzɪkəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "lackadaisical"?
From the archaic expression lackadaisy + -ic + -al. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "lackadaisical", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list